Roses by a Different Name
by GreyBeyond
Summary: These Roses will not grow into the beautiful flowers everyone knows. They will grow to be a different kind of rose. Ruby, apprentice to the destructive flame of hate. Weiss, a malevolent heiress. Blake, who never left the White Fang. Yang, an angry drunk desperate for her mother's love.
1. Little Red Riding Hood

**Author's Note: I know you're probably feeling a bit jerked around because I am rewriting this story _again_. I apologize sincerely. But as a _reader_ , I felt my story was a hot mess. It was something I was not proud of. Hence this rewrite. And I can finally say, this is a chapter I am proud of. And this is the standard I want to maintain. And the new word minimum is 12,000. This chapter while similar to my older draft, I have added many new things and removed many others. As for my other chapters, some may be like this chapter while others will be radically different. Updates are still monthly, occurring on the third of each month. And consider this the only Author's Note you will see in a while. Thank you for understanding. Edited/Beta'd by Spartacus400.**

* * *

Chapter 1: Little Red Riding Hood

* * *

An excerpt from a book long forgotten.

 _Once upon a time there one was a girl with a red cloak._

 _And she was alone._

 _But she wasn't always alone._

 _She once had a loving mother, father, and sister._

 _And then one by one, they left her._

 _Leaving the girl with the red cloak was alone in the woods with the big bad wolf._

 _Until a comforting flame approached the girl with a red cloak._

 _And her whole world changed forever._

* * *

She was _alone_. She was alone in every sense of the word. She had no one. She was abandoned in those darkened woods. Everyone had left her in the last few months. Her mom. Her _hero_ , despite her pleas, went away on some mission. It was the first time that her mom left her because of a mission. And it was also her last because her loving mother came back dead.

And now, whenever she thought of her mother, all she could think about was that lifeless body and how she left her. She couldn't even remember the good times that she had with her. All those moments, smiling and laughing, were gone in an instant. Now her sole memory of her mom was that bloodied corpse that they buried on the cliff. And that broke her dad. She never knew what alcohol was until her dad came back the day after of the funeral, reeking of it.

And that was also the first time he had screamed at her. He called her a slew of harsh words that she barely understood but she could figure out the intent behind them. She was called _worthless_ and was told that he hated her. She had never seen her dad like that, and she didn't like it. And since that day, all he did was drink and yell. He was supposed to be a hero. But in a way, he was dead too. But it was worse, the happy memories of her dad were twisted and destroyed the more her father drank.

She could no longer recall a time when her father was happy. Both of her parents abandoned her and it hurts her so much. But the one that hurt the most, was her older sister. She loved her. She used to be a bright, shining sun in her life. But those memories don't bring the same light as they used to. She used to look up to her sister and how she relied on her for support during those trying times.

She clung onto her sister like her life depended on it. But she could tell that her sister didn't want that responsibility. The responsibility to be more than a sibling, she didn't want to have the responsibility to be a guardian of someone else. The memory of her sister leaving was still fresh in her head. Moments ago, amidst their father's drunken yelling, he had told her sister the truth about her mother and how her _real_ mother was still out there. And that was the excuse her sister was looking for to leave her and their _"dad."_ Her sister didn't want to be a part of this broken family. Her sister had went into the woods at that moment, intending to escape that broken household. Their _"dad"_ paid them no heed as her sister left. Her sister wanted to find her _real_ mother, a _real_ home.

But she didn't want to be left alone with their _"dad"_ and so she rushed out to follow her sister into the woods. She didn't want to be alone. When she caught up to her sister, she found her stomping deep into the woods. She cried out behind her tromping sister. Her sister turned around, and the younger sibling almost didn't recognize her older sister. She begged and pleaded with her sister to let her come too. And while she was crying, she rushed out to her sister in one last attempt to plead with her.

And that's when she was struck by her sister. She landed on the ground with a thud. She started crying harder. Her sister, her _hero,_ her _protector_ had never hit her before. The betrayal had hit her deep, almost like a core part of her was ripped out.

And what her sister said next only made it hurt worse.

"I'm not your damn sister anymore! And I'm tired of helping of you! _Your_ mom died! Not mine! It was always about you! You didn't give a _damn_ about me! I sacrificed so _fucking_ much for you and you never helped me! Do you know how many _fucking_ times I took the hits for you?! The beatings I _suffered_ for you!? Or how much time I _wasted_ protectingyou?! You're _weak!_ You never once thought about what I wanted! And even now, it's always about you. All you care about is yourself! Well, I am _done_!" Her _former_ sister screamed.

Her sister was _dead_ now too and standing before her was a stranger who hated her.

"No. Please don't leave me." Was all she could muster as a response. She knew it was selfish to ask that but she asked anyway. She didn't want to be alone.

"I _HATE_ YOU!" Then her _former_ sister responded with a violent scream and gave a harsh kick to the fallen girl's head. The harsh impact knocked the girl out cold, making her recall the horrible last few months. And then she woke up _alone_. She was alone. She laid there on the cold ground in the woods. She held onto her red cloak as if it would protect her from the dark woods. The red cloak was the only thing left from those happy days.

Even if she could no longer recall those fond memories, the red cloak still made her feel safe and happy. It was the only thing she had left. She clutched onto that red cloak for what seemed like an eternity. The woods were growing darker and darker. No matter the time of day, the woods were always dark. But the growing darkness was unnatural. The girl in the red cloak could feel that much. Still holding the red cloak, she got up slowly. She looked around in the dark woods and then she realized how lost she was.

The blow that her _former_ sister dealt had disorientated the little girl. And the encroaching darkness was not helping either. She looked all around, but she didn't know where to go. She had no home now. She had no one to go to. Her _former_ sister was all she had left. And now she was gone. But… the only person she possibly had was her Uncle Qrow. He was a _hero_ like the rest of her family. But he had went on a mission awhile back, just like her mother. And she hadn't heard from him in a long time. He had left during those happy times. So he might as well be _dead_ too. Her family were called heroes but why would they leave her? They had left her in the woods. She desperately wanted to believe that he would swoop in and take her in.

But that optimism was crushed under the harsh reminders of the last few months. Anyone she loved had left her, who was to say her Uncle won't do the same? They _weren't_ heroes. Heroes wouldn't leave her alone. She was confused and _angry_. Part of her wanted everything to go back the way it was. But her _former_ sister's words echoed in her ears. And then another part of her screamed out in anger towards her _former_ and _broken_ family. Did all of them leave because they hated her? Some part of her didn't want to believe in those thoughts, but it was the only thing that made sense.

Why else would they leave her? The girl shivered as a cold wind swept past her. She could see the shattered moon rising slowly into the sky. And then she heard the howls. She knew she had to run. The howls were echoing all throughout the forest. The girl was scared and did not know what to do. So she just ran. She ran as fast as she could.

But the howls were getting louder and louder. She could not escape the howling. Her speed was steadily decreasing as time went by. And the howling only got louder. Eventually she had to stop. She was out of breath.

Taking deep breaths as a small pain formed in her side, she looked around, trying to find the source of the howling. Then she heard heavy breathing behind her. Quickly turning around, the little girl was faced with a huge wolf with a skull-like face with bones protruding from its body. It was no ordinary wolf, it was a creature of Grimm. The only thing she could remember her _dead_ parents telling her about Grimm, is that she should run. The wolf grinned with its razor sharp teeth and its red eyes were savoring the girl before it.

It howled at the shattered moon hanging in the sky. And several howls in the distance echoed back. The little girl started backing up slowly away from the wolf, until she bumped into something behind her. Before she could even turn to face whatever she bumped into, the wolf charged her and a set of sharp claws clamped into her right shoulder. The wolf gripped the little girl's shoulder before raising her into the air, clearly savoring the moment.

She was brought face to face with the huge wolf, teeth bared as though it was grinning. The little girl screamed in pain as tears started streaking down her face. The sharpened claws of the demonic wolf dug into the little girl's shoulders. She could feel the blood flow down her arm as the searing pain in her shoulder continued. The wolf howled as though it was laughing at her as she screamed in pain, helpless in her predicament. She flailed against the beast, hands striking at the Grimm in a futile effort to free herself.

The beast released its claws and threw her onto the ground, blood streaming from the wounds on her shoulders. It didn't let go because of the girl, but because it was like a child playing with its food before eating. She could feel the warm and wet blood coat her left hand as she held her wound. She tried crawling back with her one free hand but the wolf responded by snarling at her and she froze in fear. She knew the wolf was going to kill her. And she was going to die alone. She was going to die _completely_ and _utterly_ alone.

 _NO! NO!_ The realization of impending death had hit her. And the primal fear of death had her terrified. She didn't want to die! She didn't want to become a corpse like her _mom_! Her _former_ sister's words taunted her. She was _mad._ She was _angry! THEY LEFT HER TO DIE ALONE!_ She didn't want to die! She doesn't want to die alone and unloved! The wolf leapt onto her and the little girl held out her free hand in a desperate attempt to fend off the beast. The girl felt as though a protective covering went over her. The Grimm leapt at her, claws ready to tear her to pieces. Only for the wolf to be bounced back as if it had hit a shield.

Both the girl and the wolf stood there in shock, neither moving. The wolf, no longer sensing easy prey, held back and watched her carefully. The girl looked at her hands in shock. Her hands and her arms were glowing with a small red tint before the glow faded away. The pain in her shoulder faded away somewhat.

The pain was still there but it felt numb. The little girl remembered the stories that she grew up with, the stories with heroes and villains that wielded a mystical force called _aura_ that protected and healed them. She used to love those stories, but right now, she hated those stories. Those stories were nothing but lies. She used to believe that her family were heroes. That her _mom_ and _dad_ were heroes who saved people and slayed monsters. But when it came to her, they left her all alone. And she found herself questioning if they really loved her.

If they loved her, why would they leave her? The wolf's growl snapped the girl out of her thoughts. She eyed the wolf cautiously. She had to run. She had a feeling that she couldn't rely on her aura forever. The little girl got up and started to run. She could hear the wolf howl once more in glee, almost like the wolf wanted a chase. She could hear the wolf behind her. The girl had to be faster. She had to get away! She could feel the wolf getting closer and closer as she could hear the wolf's snarls getting louder and louder.

She had be fast! She wanted to escape from _everything._ She wanted to escape from the wolf. She wanted to escape from her broken family. She wanted to escape from her sister's words. She wanted to _escape._ She could feel the wolf right at her heels. She focused on one thought, _I have to be faster._ And she felt a small tingling sensation wash over her body. Then she felt an enormous energy surge throughout her body. That energy started pushing her. She started running faster and faster, the wolf's angry snarls fading into the background.

The dark trees of the woods passed by as a blur as she continued to run. The little girl felt peace as the wind blew in her face and she felt her cloak flowing behind her. She turned to look behind her, to see if the wolf was still following. Red petals were flowing behind her, but no wolf. The little girl felt almost _happy_ , all her problems were gone in the wind… _for now._ She grimaced at that thought and pushed herself to run faster, leaving a trail of red petals behind her.

Unfortunately that extra burst of speed briefly distracted the girl from noticing the huge tree rapidly approaching her. Before she could stop, she smashed head first into the tree and was knocked out. Shadows were cast over her as the shattered moon hung in the darkened sky as she lay unconscious on the ground, a howl shattering the silence of the night.

* * *

Wandering for hours on end in these woods was _not_ part of the plan. But the whole point of her being here was to ensure she would not get lost in the woods the next time she was here. She took out her scroll and made several adjustments to her now-completed map.

It was beneficial to have a quick and efficient path through the woods to Signal Academy, but she had underestimated just how _fucking_ thick Patch's woods were. Patch was suppose to be a small island but she was quickly getting the impression that people would get lost and die in these large woods. She sighed quietly. She needed to get more funds so she would pay someone _else_ to wander these _godforsaken_ woods. The dark trees were unnerving to say the least, and the shadows don't help either. She stopped as she came upon a clearing.

She recognized the clearing from the position of the trees, she had been here before. Now with her map, she could finally leave this island. She was about to move into the clearing until a red streak came blazing by before it slammed into a tree. She looked onto the form of the red streak more clearly now that it stopped. The red streak was a little girl that didn't look older than eight.

There was a trail of red rose petals all over the clearing, she noted. The little girl must have unlocked her aura and her semblance. Most likely just recently given her lack of control and age. It was impressive that a girl that young would have unlocked her aura _and_ her semblance. Some people would train their whole lives to unlock their aura, never to do so.

Sometimes they took the shortcut and had their aura unlocked by someone else. And other times, people would have the worst moment of their lives and they would have their aura and semblance unlocked. The girl must have had a really bad day if she unlocked her aura this young. She doubted that her family would just unlock a child's aura, it would be agonizing for everyone involved. A child's aura was notoriously painful to just unlock by someone.

And given that it was illegal, she doubted that someone else unlocked it for her. Possibly an orphan, or perhaps she came from a bad home life, given the fact that a child wouldn't wander these woods willingly. She doubted that she was trained to unlock her aura.

'Is she a student?' she wondered, before she shook her head. The girl was too young to be in Signal. Primary combat academies like Signal started their " _recruitment"_ at twelve years old. She could probably accept that some might get bumped up a year, but the age gap was too drastic. And she hadn't ever heard of anyone getting bumped up more than a year.

Now what was she to do? Part of her wanted to leave her. Then she thought on how to make this situation benefit her. She was planning on taking on a lot of people in the future. Everyone from headmasters to huntsmen, and as good as she was, she would still be shorthanded. It might be beneficial to train someone that had already unlocked their aura.

This girl had _huge_ potential. It would even the odds; they trained their students, and she would train hers. Besides, she would surely be " _recruited"_ later in her life if the girl survived these woods but if she took her in, it would help with one less future huntress to fight. And under her tutelage, the girl would be a force to reckon with, and she needed all the help she can get. But there was a problem. The girl was young. She would have to raise the girl.

She would not lie to herself and say that it would be strictly a teacher-student relationship. There was a difference between having an apprentice and having child soldiers. She would seriously be limiting the girl's potential if she reduced her to nothing more than a child soldier. Someone with aura could be very powerful if they were taught properly. And child soldiers were nothing but cannon fodder. By taking in this girl, she would be responsible for her. She would be teaching her _and_ raising her. If the girl was older, it would be a different story. But she had to be raised.

She would almost certainly form some sort of bond with the girl. Was she ready for that? Did she really want herself to get close with someone again? Was she ready for a commitment like that? Her thoughts turned to the girl. Would she even have a say in this? If she didn't want to come, would she just abduct the child? She was practically taking a girl on a whim. What if she was wrong and she had a concerned family? She did not need a family coming after her because she took their child. She heard a howl echo throughout the woods.

And a Beowolf emerged into the clearing. It started stalking towards the fallen girl. She would have to make her choice fast. She decided on a compromise. She could afford to play the role of a good person for now. Save the girl and if she was right about the girl and if she could be persuaded to come with, she would have a new ally for the future. And if she was wrong about the family or the girl didn't want to come, then the Grimm can have the little girl.

The girl was still unconscious as the Beowolf loomed over her. Summoning her weapon, a flash of fire appeared on her hands, and then her black bow was in her hands with a dust arrow ready to be fired. Taking aim, she launched the arrow right at the Grimm.

The arrow struck the Beowolf right on its back. The Grimm turned around to face her. It snarled at her and she smiled in response. The arrow then let loose a fiery explosion. And the Grimm was nothing but ash. She approached the unconscious girl, who began to stir as the woman got closer. The little girl awoke to the sight of a woman with fiery eyes looking at her and the smell of burnt meat in the air.

" _Hi?"_ the little girl said slowly.

"Hello." the woman said calmly.

"Who are you? _"_ the girl asked.

"My name is Cinder. What's yours?" Cinder said gently.

"Ru..by… Rose. Ruby Rose. It's Ruby Rose." The girl stuttered out.

"A pretty name for a pretty girl. But why are you out here all alone? If I wasn't nearby, you would have been killed by that Grimm," she said with a concerned tone.

Ruby looked down, clearly downtrodden. "I… they..." Ruby paused, looking at the woman who saved her. The girl saw sympathetic eyes, motioning for her to continue, unaware of the fire behind them. "My family… they…" Ruby started, before taking a small gulp. "They... _left_ me. They said that they _hate_ me," Ruby tried to hold back her tears, but she could not. Telling Cinder about it made the truth inescapable in her mind.

Cinder didn't know what to do at first. Until the crying girl reminded Cinder of how she used to be _. Alone, scared._ Cinder remembered how she felt. All _alone, wanting_ someone to comfort her. Cinder hugged the crying girl, which only caused Ruby to cry harder. She had forgotten how a loving hug felt;, all she could remember was the _hatred_ that she had to endure.

"Why… _Why would they leave me?_ They are suppose to be _heroes."_ Ruby whispered.

Cinder had a brief smile on her face. She whispered to Ruby. " _Heroes aren't good._ " Ruby stopped crying and gave Cinder a look of confusion.

"What… what do you mean?" she asked. _Heroes were good, right? But then why would they leave her?_

" _Heroes_ would not leave you alone to _die._ But they did. _Heroes_ pretend to be good, and then they _hurt_ you." Cinder said.

Her words hung in the air and Ruby processed the words slowly. It was the only thing that made sense for the young girl. It would explain why her sister would protect her and then leave her to _die._ She took a deep breath as she processed that information. She accepted that as _fact. Heroes_ were not good people, they pretended to be _good._ And then they hurt and _hurt_ others. Then Ruby realized something.

"If _heroes_ are bad, why would you save me?" Ruby asked.

" _Heroes_ lie. They _pretend_ to be something they are not." Cinder paused as Ruby looked down for a moment. "But I am not like _them._ I promise I will never _lie_ to you. But do you really want to know why I saved you?" Ruby nodded her head slowly. "I see potential in you. Because you see, _heroes_ have hurt me too. And I want to make them _pay._ And I was wondering if you could help me." Cinder said. Ruby was shocked.

"M… me? Why _me?_ I am… _weak. All I can do is run fast."_ Ruby said quietly.

"Hey. Don't you say _anything_ like that. You aren't weak. You just need training. And I can help you train. But do you want to see those _heroes_ pay?" Cinder asked gently.

"I _do._ I want to make those _heroes_ pay _._ But," Cinder looked at her with curiosity. "I don't want to be alone anymore."Ruby said. Cinder smiled. She grabbed the little girl's hand.

"You won't be alone anymore." She gave a small smile to the little girl. And she walked with the little girl out of the woods still holding Ruby's hand but there was a lone thought in Cinder's head. _Was that my first real smile in so long?_

* * *

Emerging from the dark woods, they arrived onto Signal's beaches. The shattered moon shone brightly in the sky as Ruby looked up at it.. It seemed to be shining brightly like a candle slowly burning. Ruby turned to look at the woman who had saved her and taken her in. Her face was contorted into one of intense thinking. Cinder brought the little girl to a small black motorboat resting on the shore, motioning for Ruby to help push the boat onto the water.

Ruby was happy to oblige. She was happy to be doing something for someone. She was happy that she was no longer _alone._ Once the boat was in the water, Ruby hopped into boat after Cinder. The boat roared to life as they sped across the darkened oceans. Cinder's face was deep in thought before it twisted into something dark and mean. Cinder took notice of Ruby looking at her, and she flashed her a quick smile. Ruby smiled back at her. It was _nice_ to smile after so long.

Ruby stared at the shattered moon once more as it lulled her into a deep sleep. Cinder watched as the girl's silver eyes faded away before she turned to continue piloting the boat. It was certainly an unexpected turn of events for her. She wasn't expecting to pick up a kid with her semblance unlocked. And that brought a flurry of challenges. She now had to divide up her funds to train this girl, but hopefully the long term investment would be worth it.

And there was also _that_ issue. Cinder would be a fool not to recognize it. She was already… _softer_ around Ruby. Something about the girl reminded her of herself at that age. She always had a soft spot for children, but nothing like what she was feeling for Ruby. The girl was _hers_ and she felt protective for her. Even if it was only a little bit, Cinder was… _unnerved_ by it.

She had appearances to keep up. It's not easy appearing to be all ominous and threatening all the time. Image was everything. But as long as she could contain the tenderness when it wasn't just her and Ruby, no harm done. And yet, while she was expecting some sort of bond, she wasn't expecting to form an attachment this early. Maybe it's because she had been doing this _alone_ for too long. Humans are social creatures, they should naturally form connections with others.

But she found it funny with all the _fucked up_ things she did and lived through, she was worrying over raising and teaching a girl. A small frown appeared on her face. The girl's training would have to be hard and vigorous, nothing less. But it was necessary for her, for both of them. She remembered her _goals_ and slowly her anxiousness lessened. By aiding her, the girl wouldn't _suffer_ but she would go through hardships. But hardships are inevitable in this world, it is better to prepare her for them than to have her unaware of it.

Hopefully, she can be trained enough in simple reconnaissance in five months so she can aid in step one of her _plan_. The girl was young and had potential but there was no way for her to be combat ready in _five_ months. Maybe in a year or two.

She slowed the boat down as the boat neared land. She scanned the empty docks of Vale's industrial districts. The docks had been abandoned due to the riots. And the property values in the area had decreased significantly as a result. Honestly, it was easy to create strife in the race relations between faunus and humans. It was just a simple process of filming VPD officers being VPD officers.

All she had to do was film a faunus taxi driver getting beaten and release it on the web. And as expected, it blew up. And they had a face for faunus abuse in the form of a lowly taxi driver named Rod Kingsmen. Faunus were outraged and then it was only a matter of time before the situation worsened. It played out even better then she expected. The officers were acquitted and the victim died in the hospital. And the faunus had a martyr. They screamed out for revenge for Rod Kingsmen and the city of Vale was burning.

She expected some violence but not full scale riots. She was quite pleased with the effect. The Faunus targeted businesses ranging from the Schnee Dust Company to the docks. And from the riots, the seeds of her plan began. She was able to play off the riots and she managed to get a base of operations and increased tensions between the faunus and humans. Parking the small boat, she looked at her warehouse near the waterfront.

Rundown and abandoned, it suited her needs perfectly. She looked at the sleeping girl in the boat. Despite what she had been through, she still had an air of innocence to her. Not completely innocent, but just enough to keep her grounded. It was a double edged sword. If she embraced that innocence, then she would be unprepared for this world. If she lost all of it, then she would be nothing more than an angry animal screaming at the world.

She had to help preserve that tiny bit of innocence, to keep Ruby grounded. It was important for everyone to have something to keep them grounded. And for Cinder, it was memories of a time long forgotten. Picking up Ruby, she carried the girl to the rundown warehouse. The outside appearance was deceiving, the inside of the warehouse was clean and organized. Crates of equipment lined the walls with huge empty space filling the middle. And in the office on the second floor in the very back was her cot. Making her way toward the office, she looked at Ruby.

The girl held on tightly to Cinder. Cinder did nothing and let the girl's tight embrace continue. Reaching the office, she made her way to the cot. She would have to get another cot for herself. Setting Ruby down gently into the cot above the covers, she thought about her next course of action. The riots were still going strong. She expected it to have died down after two weeks but there was no sign of them ending any time soon.

She was going a little stir crazy waiting for the riots to die down. But right now, she had something to do. And that was training her young student. She started thinking on how to train the young girl. She obviously had to create a strict workout regime to get the girl into shape. And then aura training. Semblance training would be simple for Ruby. Her semblance was speed, and it would be like a muscle. The more she used it, the stronger it would be. She would have to teach the girl about proper combat dust usage.

And there was also the girl's education. She couldn't enroll the girl in any schools, combat or otherwise, it would attract attention and would leave a trail of breadcrumbs right back to her. While she figured the girl's family didn't want her, there could always be concerned extended family looking for her. She made a mental note to have Ruby clarify her family situation. She took out her scroll to check her remaining funds.

Doing some quick math, she figured that between her and Ruby, she had enough lien to cover food cost for at least several months. And she had enough extra lien to buy some books to teach Ruby. She turned to the sleeping girl, tucking her in before she headed out to get the supplies for Ruby. Despite the riots, she wasn't worried. Anyone who got in her way would end up as _ashes._

* * *

Ruby was tired. She just went through a whole week of non stopping training and it wasn't going to stop. Her body ached as she finished her warm ups. Cinder had told her training would be _hard_ and _exhausting_ , but that was an understatement for Ruby.

She had to do fifty of everything, from jumping jacks to push ups. Cinder was very serious and strict when it came to training. Despite her body aching, she persevered through the training. She didn't want to disappoint Cinder. While she had yet to do so, there was that tiny bit of fear of disappointing Cinder, or worse, making Cinder _hate_ her like _them_.

She then started her semblance training, which consisted of running from the front to the back of the large warehouse fifty times, nonstop. After the exhausting run, she stopped to catch her breath. She didn't have to do aura training or any lectures today, which made her happy.

She had to do aura training every other day. And all she had to do was ' _meditate'_ but Ruby didn't have the patience for that. And the lectures ranged from _boring_ topics like history to _interesting_ topics like weapons. But today, she was starting Dust training. Ruby was excited. From Cinder's lectures about how dangerous Dust was, Ruby was beyond excited to start training with it. She waited for Cinder to leave the office, apparently she had an important meeting to set up. Ruby was practically bouncing up and down waiting for Cinder. Cinder exited out of the office and strolled up to the excited young girl, in her hand was a small red crystal.

"Now, Ruby." Cinder started. Ruby focused her gaze from the crystal to Cinder.

"You remember all my lectures on _proper_ Dust usage?" Cinder asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Ruby said excitedly.

" _Ruby."_ Cinder said with a tone of annoyance. Ruby snapped out of her excitement.

"Yes, Cinder." She said slightly dejected, drawing a small smile from Cinder.

"Good. Now, I want you to project a fire projectile using this crystal at that training dummy." She pointed toward the old training dummy that she had Ruby practice on.

Ruby had much to improve on with hand to hand combat. She didn't respond to any of Cinder's teachings. While slightly disappointing, she understood that the girl's strengths were elsewhere. But she needed to teach her something before that inability for hand to hand combat got her killed. She briefly grimaced at that thought. Focusing back at the task at hand, she handed Ruby the small red Dust crystal. Ruby held out the small red Dust crystal and focused, the crystal responding to her.

 _BOOM!_

And then it exploded. The explosion knocked back both Ruby and Cinder to the ground. Their auras had managed to protect both from the ensuing explosion from any serious harm.

" _God fucking damn it, Ruby! What did I say about using Dust?!"_ Cinder yelled.

Ruby winced, Cinder never yelled at her. Ruby looked at the woman before her. An aura of hatred and anger emitted from her. And Cinder's eyes glowed with a burning anger. It was terrifying for the young girl to see someone that was always so calm become so angry. Cinder huffed slightly. Regardless of aura, the explosion still hurt, and that aggravated Cinder. She wasn't use to getting burnt and it hurt… a lot.

She had been very patient with Ruby when she messed up despite her _intolerance_ for failure. She was _very_ patient with _her_ mistakes. But her mistakes never blew up in her face. Although she didn't mean that outburst, she had _drilled_ how to use Dust into Ruby's head. She _shouldn't_ have failed. It was her first real outburst toward the young girl.

All the other times, she kept her cool and gave _very_ stern lectures toward the young girl. But she shouldn't have yelled at Ruby. It wasn't because she felt… _bad…_ about it, it was because she didn't need Ruby possibly associating her negative memories with her. She wanted Ruby to trust her but Cinder had recognized the fact that she was somewhat _distant_ with Ruby, out of a fear of raising a child.

She _constantly_ second guessed herself with Ruby, and that might cause problems. If she was really going to be under Cinder's wing, she needed the girl's trust. And she hoped that she didn't blow it. She looked at Ruby, tears forming in the corner of the young girl's eyes.

" _Ruby..."_ She started. And the girl disappeared in a flurry of rose petals and into the office in the back.

" _Fuck."_ Cinder muttered under her breath.

She walked to the office and found the door locked. It was expected. It was a child crying after getting yelled at. She was going to have to make this up somehow.

" _Ruby."_ She said softly. She could hear the girl stop crying for a moment. Then, her scroll chimed. It was a reminder that her meeting was happening in ten minutes.

 _Fuck._

"I have to go this meeting. But… I'm _sorry._ I just want you to know that." She said quietly.

Ruby gave no response so Cinder walked away. Stepping outside, she took a deep breath. Pushing aside her worries and concerns about Ruby, she adopted a more sinister thought process.

 _No one will get in my way. I will get my way. Anyone who gets in my way will burn._

She closed her eyes and exhaled. Her eyes opened, with a roaring fire inside them. She made her way to the club, an aura of confidence and cruelty almost palpable to those she passed on her way. She walked in a solemn silence, time seeming to speed up as she walked to her destination, until she was outside the meeting place. A club run by some up and coming thug named Hei Xiong.

But considering his own thugs called him _'Junior'_ behind his back, clearly not everyone was happy with this upstart. But that upstart was the only one with connections and the information she needs and he was _reliable_. Entering the club, she was greeted with bright, flashing lights, and blaring techno music. Teenagers were on the dance floor, moving around like big dumb animals. But in truth, they nothing more than shadows in the background.

Walking with an air of confidence she made her way to the bar where Hei was at. He was talking to some orange haired guy in a collared suit and a bowler hat. Sitting next to the guy Hei was talking with, she listened in on the conversation. The hushed whispers between the two probably meant something significant was happening. And Cinder liked to be _well-informed._

"Listen. It's the heist of a lifetime!" The orange haired guy exclaimed quietly.

"I _don't_ think robbing from the Schnee Dust Company is a good idea. The riots have _finally_ died down… but that doesn't mean the SDC or the VPD is lowering its guard down. In fact, it probably is raising security given the damage those riots did. So find someone else, Roman." Hei retorted back.

The other guy, Roman exclaimed, "But the payoff! Its a lot of lien. And I am sure someone like you would want… no, _needs_ that type of cash. Don't think I didn't notice how _'well'_ you're doing in the criminal food chain. Just some food for thought."

Cinder was intrigued. But she wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or was a really good con artist. Hei gave a grunt before saying, "I made up my mind. Get the _fuck_ out of my club."

Two thugs in black business suits went behind Roman. "I know when I am not wanted. But I'll be sure to call you, _honey."_ He got up and left the bar.

The two thugs dispersed back into the crowd. Hei gave out a long sigh. Cinder cleared her throat, grabbing Hei's attention.

"And what do you want, sweet cheeks?"

"I am here for the meeting, _Junior."_ Cinder spat.

Hei shot her a glare. Cinder's eyes lit up briefly, full of malice. Hei backed down.

"Whatever, I wasn't expecting a woman but alright. Do you know how this works?"

Cinder gave out a scoff, she was no amateur. She was almost offended.

"Okay. So who ya looking for?" Hei asked before taking a sip of alcohol from a bottle.

This asshole is the only way to find someone that doesn't want to be found. From his tone, he probably thought Cinder was looking for a ' _bad boy'_ lover, or some other contrived notion. _Oh how wrong he is._

"Lopez." She said bluntly.

Hei immediately put down the bottle.

" _Whoa, whoa._ Which Lopez are we talking about?" He asked.

"You know which one I am talking about." She said smugly. He wasn't expecting that.

"Lopez the _fucking_ Heavy?" He nearly spat out his drink.

"That's the one." She gave out a vicious smile.

"That big old bastard? I don't think that fucker is still alive." Hei exclaimed.

"We both know that _old bastard_ is still kicking. And I'm going to pay you to find him." She said.

"No offense lady, but I don't think he wants to be found." He exclaimed.

"Then what am I going to do with this money?" She asked sarcastically. It was no secret that Hei needed the lien to fund his little ' _takeover'._ His thugs did not come cheap.

"Fine. But I am jacking up the price. I think another five thousand lien would cover it."

Cinder was taken back for a moment. Then she was _pissed._ On one hand, she needed the information _now._ On the other, she couldn't complete the next part of her plan if she bought this information. She made her choice.

"Alright." She grumbled.

She hated when someone pulled this type of _shit_ over her. If she could, she would flay him alive. But in this business, positive business relations were vital. And she couldn't sour this relation just yet. But she needed a new way to obtain funds immediately. She took out the remaining lien in her pocket and slammed it on the table.

"Pleasure doing business. I'll call when I have his location." He gave a cocky smile before taking a small swig of alcohol.

How was she going to get more lien? Then she remembered the orange haired guy from earlier.

"Hey… do you have that Roman guy's number?" She asked. The guy raised an eyebrow. He was wondering what she wanted with a lowlife like him.

Once he gave her his number, she strutted out of the bar. Taking out her scroll, she dialed in Roman's number.

"Y'ello?" A cocky voice greeted her.

"Hello, Roman. I have a business proposition for you." She said into her scroll. The voice turned slightly serious.

"I am listening."

* * *

Ruby ran into her ' _room'._ Well, technically it was both hers and Cinder's. But right now, that didn't matter. Ruby just wanted to be alone. She gripped onto her red cloak. She remembered how angry Cinder was. She was never angry at her. Maybe upset once or twice. But never angry. It reminded her of _them_ and of _those_ nightmares.

Does Cinder _hate_ her like _them_?

" _Ruby."_ She jerked her head toward the door.

She had locked it. She didn't want to talk to Cinder, she was afraid that she would be _angry_ at her.

"I have to go this meeting. But… I'm _sorry._ I just want you to know that." Cinder's voice was gentle once more, offering sweet words of forgiveness.

Ruby didn't know what to say to that. Her…. _former_ dad never once apologized for his words of cruelty. She was stunned. And then she heard Cinder walking away before Ruby could say anything. She felt like she had to make this up to Cinder. Here was Cinder apologizing to her and she said nothing.

She remembered her failure with the Dust. She had to get better for her. She couldn't focus on what Cinder had told her about proper Dust usage at the moment, which _frustrated_ her. Cinder practically forced that information into her head, and she was too upset to remember any of it. She took out one of the books on Dust. Cinder had often made her read books when she was too busy to lecture Ruby. Her interest varied depending on the books. Books on weapons, _awesome._ Books on history, _ew._ But books on Dust were in a weird spot for the young girl. On one hand, the concept of Dust was _exciting._ On the other, using Dust was surprisingly complex, and exceedingly boring.

But she had to push through that, she wanted to make Cinder _proud._ She started reading the long and boring passages of the book.

'… _Chapter 4: Using Raw Dust in Combat. While Dust is commonly used as an energy source, that same energy can be applied in combat. Combat with Dust boils down to two forms, processed Dust powder and raw Dust crystals. Processed Dust is most commonly used in the form of Dust bullets, where there is no real skill required in using. Raw Dust crystals are far stronger than refined dust, as well as far harder to wield.'_

Ruby skimmed that page. She needed to learn how to use Dust.

'... _Using Dust crystals requires the use of aura. Dust crystals act like a conduit for a user's aura. A user must be skilled in using their aura in order to have some control of Dust crystals. An unskilled aura user would likely have little to no control over the Dust. Often times, a clear mind results in a greater control of the Dust. An unfocused mind will result in the Dust's energy being unfocused. To practice using Dust crystals, a slow approach is recommended. Start slow and visualize the intended effect. But caution is advised, overusing one's aura will result in unconsciousness and/or extreme exhaustion.'_

And that was all Ruby needs to know. She had to take it _slow_. But doubt filled her head. She was skilled in going fast. And that was how she did things, she rushed in. She took a deep breath. Cinder often told her to slow down and take deep breaths. Rummaging through the room, she found where Cinder kept the Dust crystals. Taking out a small red Dust crystal, she ran out of her room, leaving behind a trail of rose petals.

She held the red Dust crystal tightly as she faced the training dummy. She held out the crystal and took it slowly. She closed her eyes, her mind a chaotic mess, but she pushed those thoughts to the side and focused. She visualized a fire emerging from her hand and hitting the dummy. She concentrated on that lone thought. The Dust crystal hummed and emitted a small red light. Then Ruby was thrown back as a wild fireball shot out from her hand and struck the training dummy, knocking Ruby onto her back with a thud.

She looked up to see the training dummy on fire. Ruby felt proud that she managed to use Dust. Cinder would be proud. As she got up, her stomach twisted into knots and Ruby felt sick _._ She grabbed her stomach and went onto her knees.

Violently expelling the contents of her stomach, Ruby collapsed onto the floor. Her vision was fading and exhaustion overtook her.

And the usual nightmares that had been tormenting her began. Surrounded by pure darkness, she saw her. She was wearing her white cloak. Her silver eyes were full of hatred. Ruby felt scared. _Why did she leave me?_

"Because _I_ hate you. I bet Yang's _real_ mother loves her. I don't love you. _You're no daughter of mine._ " _She_ sneered.

Then _she_ vanished in a flurry of white petals. Then _he_ showed up. He was a drunken slob, clothes stained with blood and alcohol. He absolutely reeked of the stuff.

"It's all your fault." He slurred. " _All_ your fault. Why do you look like her? I… Just get away! I hate you."

Then in his place was _her._ " _We_ are _not_ sisters. _We_ never were. I hope you _die."_ Her ' _sister'_ said with venom dripping with every word.

She knocked Ruby down with a violent push. Ruby started crying. She was alone. They all _hated_ her.

"It's okay. I'm here." A gentle voice said quietly.

 _This_ part of the dream never happened before. There was no _sooth_ voice in these nightmares. But with just those words, everything seemed brighter like a bright sun rising for the first time. When she awoke, she felt tired. Even more so than after Cinder's training. She got up slowly. She started making her way to her room. Reaching her room, she collapsed onto the first cot she saw. She fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Cinder walked up to the warehouse, quite satisfied with how things worked out with Roman. But it took longer than expected. The moment she stepped in the warehouse, her thoughts turned to Ruby _._ She saw the training dummy burnt and vomit on the floor. Dropping her more _sinister_ thought process, she became worried. _Where's Ruby?_

She looked all around before going into the office. And she found Ruby sleeping on her cot. Feeling a tiny sense of relief, she left the office to clean up the mess. As she scrubbed the vomit off the floor, she looked to the training dummy and began to piece together what happened. The girl must have been practicing with Dust and she improved. Cinder felt a sense of _pride_. She went out of her way to try again, to impress her. Cinder had a sense of pride, a sense of _motherly_ pride.

Cinder frowned at that word. She knew deep down that's basically what she was to the young girl now. Would she be mad to deny that? Cinder prided herself in being control of herself, she knew better to reject and deny those feelings. She _was_ human after all. She wasn't a complete apathetic monster. But she knew that she had to keep those emotions in check.

Too many times… death and pain occurred because of them. But this was a growing young girl. If she was going to fight for her, then she needed to do it because she trusted. To be a _cold_ and _distant_ guardia… mother and teacher was even more inane than being an _overprotective_ mother. She had to balance her emotions carefully.

Too much and Ruby could end up too empathetic to the world, this cruel world of bloody evolution. And too little, and she wouldn't be able to trust the girl in the future. _ARGH._ Was she over her head by taking in this girl? This wasn't the type of relationship she could manipulate with the girl. She took in the girl as an apprentice, but by doing so, she became her _guardian,_ her _mother_. She became responsible for _her._

And that made her second guess every single act of kindness. If _only_ she was an angry teenager. She could have manipulated her without a second thought. She wouldn't have to worry what she was thinking, only that she obeyed. Only if she was older. But she _wasn't._ She was a young child who looked up to her, who _needed_ her.

She would be a broken mess if she wasn't here. And she would feel guilty if that happened.

 _Heh._

Cinder found that funny. She murdered, robbed, and _destroyed_ many people without a second thought and she was worrying about a little girl. She heard the office door creak open. Turning around, she was greeted by a tired Ruby rubbing her eyes.

" _C..Cinder?"_ The little girl started.

"Did I make you proud?" She pointed toward the burnt dummy. Cinder's heart melted. This little girl trusted her with the very core of her being. She wanted to make Cinder proud. She loved Cinder. She was hers _._

At that moment, she didn't care about balancing her emotions. While the girl needed discipline at times, she also needed love.

"Yes of course, my lovely rose."

She said quietly before moving toward the young girl. She wrapped herself around Ruby.

"I am always proud of you even if I get a little angry. I will always be proud of you." She whispered before kissing the little girl on the forehead.

"Always. I love you, Ruby." Ruby hugged Cinder back.

"… I love you too, mommy." Ruby said quietly as if she said something risky.

Cinder smiled. Ruby had always refrained from calling her _'mom'_ or _'mommy'',_ but the sentiment was always there. But now Ruby was _hers_ one hundred percent. She hugged the girl a little tighter.

"Cinder..." Ruby started.

"Yes my rose?" Ruby winced a little at the last word.

"Can...can I not have the name ' _Rose'_ anymore?" She said, clearly worried. Cinder took note of that comment. She was severing all ties to her old life to be with Cinder completely. She was even more _proud_ of the girl.

"Do you want to use _my_ last name?" Cinder asked as she pulled away from the hug and looked Ruby in the eye. Her silver eyes sparkled as she asked.

"Yes." She said nervously.

" _Hmmm._ Ruby _Fall._ It does have a nice ring to it. Are you sure?" Ruby nodded her head furiously.

"Well then, it's nice to meet you, _Ruby Fall._ " She said gently.

Ruby giggled, clearly happy with her new last name. It was as if a burden lifted off her shoulders.

"Now, since you made me proud with your initiative, I think you deserve a reward." Ruby's eyes beamed with joy.

"What is it? What is it?" Ruby asked as she jumped up and down.

" _Ruby."_ She said gently.

"Sorry." She muttered as she stopped jumping up and down.

"Now, I was thinking ice cream." She said. Ruby beamed with joy, Cinder only allowed her to eat _healthy_ stuff.

While she liked the strawberries and milk, everything else was _ick._

"Now what flavor would you like?" Cinder asked. The eight year old started thinking about which ice cream she wanted.

She wanted a bit of everything _._ After a solid minute of thinking, Ruby had her answer.

"Neapolitan!" She said loudly.

" _Ruby, indoor voice."_ Cinder reprimanded her gently.

" _Sorry."_ She whispered.

"Alright, I will be back in seven minutes with your ice cream, Ms. _Fall._ "

Ruby giggled again. Cinder gave the girl a quick hug before leaving the warehouse. Ruby was ecstatic. Cinder did love her and she didn't hate her.

She wasn't like them! She wanted to keep make Cinder proud. And she had a new last name! No longer would she be constantly reminded of that… dark part of her life. That part of her life that tormented her in her sleep. She was _happy._

She practically bounced all over the room waiting for Cinder. And Cinder entered the warehouse holding two ice cream cones. She originally just got one cone, but she decided to indulge herself a little with Ruby. She gave Ruby her cone and gestured toward the office, Ruby following her while furiously devouring her ice cream. Entering the room, they sat on Cinder's cot, Cinder slowly and carefully eating her ice cream while Ruby continued to devour her ice cream.

Cinder's thoughts turned to Ruby's training and what would happen after she finished her training. She never really discussed what the plans were after training, she was going have to rectify that. As they finished their ice cream, Cinder turned toward her surrogate daughter.

"Ruby?" Ruby looked up toward Cinder, ice cream covering most of her face. Cinder couldn't have a serious discussion with Ruby looking like that.

She took out a handkerchief and begin wiping Ruby's face. Ruby gave a small shout of protest before resigning herself to her fate.

Once Ruby's face was clean, Cinder began speaking.

"Ruby. I want to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Do you know why I am training you?" Cinder asked.

Ruby answered almost immediately. "To help you."

"With what?" Cinder continued her questioning.

Ruby thought for a moment. " _Revenge."_ She said slowly.

"Against who?" Cinder questioned.

"Against… ' _heroes'."_ Ruby responded with a twisted face of disgust.

"Ruby, by helping me… there would be people wanting to hurt us, and you _will_ have to hurt them. Are you okay with that?" Cinder asked carefully.

Ruby seemed conflicted for a brief moment before gaining a resolve. "If… they want to hurt us… then… I am okay… with hurting them… as long as I am with you… I will be okay." Ruby said quietly.

"Don't worry, Ruby. I won't let anyone hurt you. Besides, I'm making you strong. And I'm so proud of you." Cinder wrapped her arm around Ruby.

And they sat in silence as Ruby clung onto Cinder.

* * *

Another two weeks of vigorous training for Ruby and she showed steady improvement, enough that to call her a prodigy would be accurate. While training, Cinder adopted a strict and slightly harsh approach for Ruby. She made sure never to be _too_ harsh with Ruby. While Ruby didn't seem happy during training, it improved her discipline somewhat despite Ruby's grumbling. She became more focused but she was still a hyperactive child at times.

But Cinder did make sure she balanced out her harsh training with _softer_ activities. She talked to Ruby. They discussed many things with topics ranging from things like how strawberries are delicious to Ruby's thoughts on Cinder's 'boring' history lectures. She even gave Ruby some comics to read.

After another harsh day of training, Ruby collapsed onto her bed and started reading some comic while Cinder checked her scroll. There was a whole week before Roman's little heist went down, after which Cinder would have a stable source of funds for the foreseeable future. It was also a chance for Roman to prove if he was viable asset. But _still_ no response from Hei. Goddamn did he piss her off, but she knew better to rush him. But two fucking weeks with no updates? Either Lopez _really_ did not want to be found or 'Junior _'_ was fucking incompetent.

She was going a little stir crazy, and Ruby was too. She was anxious to see some action. Besides, she wanted to give Ruby a trial mission of some sorts for a while.

But what to do? She decided to check the news. Checking the news kept her in the know, and perhaps she could get an idea for how to test Ruby. Opening her scroll, she clicked on the news app. Several headlines caught her attention.

' _Faunus attack on Schnee household. Several dead.'_

 _'Gruesome murder in Vale! Witnesses claim shadows attacked the victim.'_

 _'Gang attacks getting more violent. Burnt corpses found in local gang hideout.'_ She bit her lip.

Perhaps she could give Ruby an assignment to fight gangs? _No._ But there was no real way to give Ruby a trial run given her current skill.

The girl was still struggling with hand to hand combat. She realized how fucking idiotic and stupid it was to send an eight year old out to fight gangs _head on._

If she sent her out, Ruby would fail and possibly _die._ Ruby at her current level was more suited for other non-combat tasks. If she sent her out… and she failed… not only would that mean she wasted time and resource, she would… also lose Ruby.

But Ruby needs to see _some_ sort of action. She needs to see what she is going to do in the future. She needs to see how dangerous the world is.

Perhaps recon? But there was literally nothing she could do until she was contacted. Then her scroll starting ringing. Taking out her scroll, the caller was Roman.

The 'self-proclaimed' _gentleman_ thief better have a good reason to call. She _specifically_ told him not to call her until the heist.

" _Roman."_ She said calmly.

 _BANG! BANG!_

Sounds of gunfire rang out through the scroll. Cinder moved the scroll away from her ear as the loud gunfire continued.

"Sorry for calling, _dearie._ But we've got a problem." Roman said loudly over the noise of gunfire. _BANG! BANG!_

"Goddamn, I am almost out. _Neo!_ Be a dear and take out that gunner over there. _Thank you!"_ A man's scream came through the scroll.

"Sounds like you have it taken care of. I am wondering if this was a waste of my time." Cinder said.

"Sounds like someone is having a _lovely_ morning. But the attack on my well-being is not the problem surprisingly. What the problem is that some assholes decided to raid my equipment stockpile. You know? The same equipment that we were going to use for very illegal things."

A brief pause. "Good, looks like those assholes retreated." He muttered. "Anyway, they managed to run off with something irreplaceable for the heist."

"And why can't _you_ resolve this?" Cinder asked annoyed.

" _Becaaause._ " He sang. "I got to replace the equipment they damaged and I am in no condition to hunt them down."

Cinder frowned. _Was there anyway to benefit from this?_ Then she realized the opportunity she was given but she was still frustrated at this turn of events.

"Just this one time, I will help you out. Next time, clean up your own messes. I recommend you not fail me next time around."

"For someone who is all fiery, you are a cold hearted bitch. But I digress. Anyway, they ran off with the specialized vault cracker." He said.

"And who were they?" Cinder asked.

"Let me see, I gotta check the body. _Oh that's gross, Neo._ Put the decapitated head down, please." Roman started humming for a moment. Cinder started tapping her foot.

"Oh. It's _those_ asshats."

"Well _?"_ Cinder said sharply.

"It's the fucking Fake AH crew. Well, looks like you don't have to track them down. Their hideout is the rundown warehouse on Los Santos Lane. You're welco..." She closed her scroll, cutting Roman off.

This was the perfect opportunity for Ruby to _'get her feet wet'_ so to speak. While Ruby may not be able to go on a trial run, she could at the very least accompany her on this. She could learn something from a little field experience or watching someone in the field.

Walking into the office, she found Ruby reading her comics.

"Hey _,_ Ruby, I've got something to ask you." Ruby put down the comic book and looked at Cinder.

"Yeah?"

"You know how I mentioned there might be missions that I have to go on from time to time?" Ruby's silver eyes seemed dejected.

"You have to go?" Ruby asked quietly.

"Yes _."_ Cinder said quietly. "But I want _you_ to come with me."

Ruby's eyes started sparkling with joy. " _Really?! Really?!"_ Ruby exclaimed excitedly.

Cinder nodded. " _But."_ Ruby paused her excitement.

"There are some things that I want to go over." Ruby nodded her head.

"One. This is a _dangerous_ mission. You have to be careful. And you aren't ready for those types of missions on your own."

Ruby looked slightly dejected.

" _Yet."_ Cinder added.

"Two. People are going to _die._ People who get in our way and want to hurt us…." Cinder paused.

"Deserve to die." Ruby finished for her, reciting what Cinder had taught her.

Cinder smiled.

"Three. I want you to stay hidden. _Watch. Only._ Take notice on everything I do. This is a _learning_ experience. Do _not_ do anything. If you do something bad, I will have to punish you. I don't like doing that."

Ruby cringed as she remembered her last punishment. Trying to get out of training resulted in Ruby doing pushups for an hour straight.

"Do you understand?" Ruby nodded her head.

"I need to hear it from you."

"I understand." Ruby said.

"Good, my precious gem. Now get ready."

* * *

" _GOD FUCKING DAMN IT."_

He slammed his hands on the table in the barely illuminated room. Towers of darkened crates filled the room with other crates strewn about through the large room. In the middle of the large warehouse floor was a barely illuminated table with several occupants who remained silent at the man's outburst.

" _Goddamn it. I can't believe it. We lost Brownman."_ He said quietly before taking a swig of alcohol.

"What are we to do now?" One of the occupants of the table said.

"Give me a minute to think, Beardo!" He took another swig as the rest waited in silence.

" _First._ We take revenge on that bitch, Roman Torchwick, and that tiny ass bitch with him."

There was a murmuring of agreement.

" _Second._ After that, we go forward with the heist."

"Wot? _Why? Why so soon? I mean… after..."_ He paused.

"It's for him, Free. It's for him." He said quietly.

"He wouldn't want us to quit just because he… _Fuck._ Point is… this is a dangerous business. We _all_ know the risks."

" _We risked everything for some shitty vault breaking device. To rob a fucking convenience store!"_ One of them screamed while pointing to said device on the table.

"Calm down, Mogar! It's a really fucking loaded convenience store. Really fucking loaded. Besides it would… be disrespectful to quit now."

" _Fuck you, Geoff."_ Mogar muttered.

There was a brief silence as the already drunk leader drank once more.

"And one final thing. We have to face the facts. This is a six person crew. We… have to replace Brownman."

The table erupted into shouting of disapproval. Geoff pulled out a gun and fired it into the air. _BANG!_

"Be quiet, you fucking _dicks!_ Face the facts! We are fucked without a sixth member. We _have_ to replace him." He yelled. He took another swig.

"Who _can_ replace him?" Beardo asked.

"Dragonface?" Mogar said somewhat jokingly but there was no true humor in his voice.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Besides… I heard the kid went to Vacuo to play _hero_ with some of the vigilantes there." Free muttered.

"How about Axial?" Geoff asked.

"He is more of a behind-the-scene type of guy. Although, he would be a good choice but… I think he is laying low at the moment. The cops probably got pissed at him for no reason. Besides I think he likes being in the B-Team crew." Beardo interjected.

They all hung their heads in silence. No one could think of anyone until the quiet one wearing a black skull mask rose from the table.

"I nominate 'Lil J." There was a brief silence. Nobody said anything so the man in the skull mask continued.

"He has dedication. I ran a few jobs with him. I have no complaints."

"I do. The fucker's short." Mogar interrupted.

"And nobody expects a short guy to be dangerous. And that ' _fucker'_ is dangerous." He explained.

Geoff rose up and set down his bottle. There was a brief breeze throughout the large room where they held their meetings but nobody paid any attention to that.

"Alright, _fuckers._ The Vagabond nominates 'Lil J. Any objections?"

Mogar just grunted. Beardo and Free shook their heads.

"Alright then. We'll initiate 'Lil J after we have Roman's fucking head!" He shouted. Everyone at the table yelled in agreement. They all rose, guns drawn and raised in the air. Geoff roared with the rest of his crew. The prospect of revenge for one of his friends had replaced the sadness with rage. Then something hit Geoff right in the eye.

"ARGH!" He screamed. Everyone jumped back and started taking out their guns. Everyone looked in shock as they saw what had struck Geoff. A single black arrow had taken Geoff's right eye.

"When I find the fucker who made me a pirate… I will!" He didn't finish his threat as the arrow detonated, splattering the walls and his crew with blood.

 _SPLAT!_

" _BLOODY FUCKING HELL!"_ Free screamed.

He started waving his gun around frantically.

"Show yourself!" Mogar screamed. He started walking away from the table and into the darkened warehouse floor. Beardo grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him.

" _Everyone form a defensive circle!"_ Beardo screamed.

The crew formed a large defensive circle as they desperately searched for the shooter.

"Where is he?" Free screamed before he dropped his gun as an arrow pierced his gun hand.

" _AHHH!_ " He screamed while holding his hand in pain.

"My boi!" Mogar screamed as he broke the circle to help Free.

" _WAIT, YOU FOOLS! TAKE THE ARROW OUT!"_ The Vagabond screamed. Mogar looked back helplessly as he realized it was too late for him and Free.

Beardo and the Vagabond looked on helplessly as an explosion engulfed Mogar and Free and the force blew back Beardo and the Vagabond onto the floor.

" _NO!"_ They both screamed.

Beardo started hitting the floor in frustration as tears fell down his face. "No! No! No!"

"We have to _move!"_ The Vagabond screamed as he scrambled to get up.

Then a darkened figure dropped down from above and slammed a large black blade into Beardo's skull. Blood oozed down the blade as the Vagabond watched as the last of his friends died before his eyes. He raised his pistol to fire before the figure charged forward.

He fired his first shot.

 _BANG!_

The figure dodged to the left.

His life began flashing before his eyes. His first job with the crew. It was a simple job. A simple bank robbery. Everything was planned out. Free would crack the vault, Geoff would run crowd control with Beardo, and Ray and him would hold off the cops until Mogar came with the getaway vehicle. They expected a few minutes of panic and carnage. But everyone in the crew was having fun. No one got hurt… except the cops. They held down the bank in a glorious fashion. And then Mogar crashed in with an airship. They had a clean getaway despite the dramatic entrance.

 _Oh,_ the celebration party was glorious. And that's when they realize something. That they should be a group. They all just _clicked_ with each other. And they had the most epic heists for _many_ years.

He fired another shot at the figure. It dodged to the right this time.

 _BANG!_

The Fake AH crew became a name amongst legends in the heisting community.

Geoff, the master planner.

Beardo, the second in command.

Mogar, the demolition specialist.

Free, the master thief.

Brownman, whose gun skills were legendary.

And himself, famous for his blood-thirst.

They were feared and respected. They had the cash, the _power._ And they had each other. They had trust in each other. It was something rare amongst crews.

Crews often ran on _fear_ to keep each other in line. But they didn't need that. The figure reached him and ran it's blade through his chest.

 _God, he loved them. They were his best buds. He would relive every single moment with them. He had no regrets._ He closed his eyes as he envisioned himself drinking with the crew, _one last time._

The figure pulled the blade out of his chest and blood poured out of his chest. The body fell face first onto the floor with the skull mask making an audible ' _thud'_ in the quiet warehouse. The figure stepped into the light.

The figure was wearing a black sleeveless jacket with a black domino mask. She grabbed the device on the table and turned to face the darkness at the back of the warehouse.

"Ruby, you can come out now." She called out in the dark. A flash of red emerged from the dark. Ruby ran up to Cinder. She looked into Cinder's fiery eyes.

"So, how was it?" Cinder asked curiously with a tad of worry in her voice. She was worried that the girl might be… _disgusted_ with the violence.

"It… was… _AWESOME!"_ Ruby shouted.

Cinder was taken back for a moment before a small smile formed on her face.

" _You were like, 'Psshh', arrow in the FACE! Then BOOM! They were like, 'nooo'. And you were like more arrows for you! Then you were like, 'hoho, here I am.' Sword in the face for you!"_ Ruby said excitedly as she made elaborate hand gestures that mimicked Cinder's actions during the fight.

Cinder could not help but smile a little wider at the girl's description.

" _Let's go home."_ Cinder said and she grabbed the little girl's hand and they began walking out of the warehouse. "But don't think you're getting out of me quizzing you about this."

" _But mooom."_ Ruby complained.

Cinder smiled as they continued walking home.


	2. The Big Bad Wolf

Chapter 2: The Big Bad Wolf

* * *

" _No!" She screamed. Everything was burning. "No! No! No!" She screamed to the heavens, wanting it to stop. Everyone was burning. Burning corpses littered the fields. Her vision blinded by a blazing orange accompanied by screams for mercy. "STOP! PLEASE!" She begged. Then they targeted her._

* * *

She awoke with a gasp. She took a deep breath and pushed the memories to the back of her mind.

"Good morning, mom!" Happy silver eyes greeted her.

"Morning, Ruby." She looked upon the smiling young child she now saw as her own.

That cheery face alone pushed the dark memories further away, yet there was a thought that would not vanish, Ruby would eventually see those horrific sights like she did.

"You okay?" Ruby asked with concern.

But she would make sure Ruby would never have to suffer like she did.

"I'm fine." She wiped all the doubt and fear off her face.

She got up and stretched, looking around the warehouse office that they modified to be their bedroom. Sacrifices have to be made for secrecy. She checked the rations to find they were running low on toothpaste, and dental hygiene was important. Food was nearly depleted as well, which was a problem. Three more days until the heist, then lien wouldn't be a problem.

But what was a problem was ' _Junior'._ He hadn't given her any updates and she wasted all her lien on him. For his sake, he better have not screwed her over. Might as well pay him a visit later. She rummaged through the rations and grabbed the toothpaste. Brushing her teeth with an old toothbrush and a dirty, cracked mirror in a dirty warehouse bathroom reminded her of how low she has fallen. Ruby, however, was humming a song while brushing her teeth as if the situation didn't bother her. _A child's innocence_.

She once had that same happy gleam in her eyes. Ruby wasn't completely innocent, given she wanted to help her _intentionally…_ but she was happy she did. As they wrapped up the mundane morning rituals, she began training Ruby as usual. She usually started off easy with the girl, giving her lectures on history, dust, and occasionally weapons. Ruby paid attention to varying degrees. Not a model student but not a juvenile delinquent either.

Then they would start aura training. Aura was typically unlocked around age twelve, but since Ruby unlocked it four years early she had to have extensive aura training so she could be roughly around the same level.

Normally when aura is unlocked at the regular age, it starts off at a quarter of it's power. It's protective covering is weak, but it grows stronger as the child grows older. Since Ruby was a special exception, she probably had less than a quarter of her total aura strength. Maybe even less, since her semblance was so integrated to everyday use.

While the girl was fast, it was better safe than sorry. A single bullet would likely shatter her aura shielding. So that meant a load of aura training just so Ruby can raise her aura strength to a quarter of its real power. Ruby struggled in this area and her progress was slow. Then came Ruby's exercises. People needed strong bodies to handle the strain of aura. A physically weak person wouldn't naturally get aura, and if some fool unlocked their aura for them… the results are agonizing.

While that only occurs with exceptionally weak people, she wasn't about to take any chances with Ruby. Besides, Ruby didn't complain about the exercises… much. She was forgoing the Dust training today. She had quickly learned that Ruby did not have her skill handling Dust. The only bright side is that she can use Dust without blowing her face up, which was an improvement. Then came Ruby's semblance training, which was probably the easiest for Ruby given how much she used it. And finally, combat training.

Since Ruby was reliant on her speed, she trained Ruby on the weak points of the human body. But while she was a skilled eight year old, she was still that… an eight year old kid. Her punches lacked power and as the spar dragged on, she grew slower. Any punches she manage to land on her were laughable at best and it wasn't long before Ruby was on her back, defeated. She shouldn't feel disappointed, considering her age, but she felt a little disappointed at Ruby.

Then those sad silver eyes beamed at her and guilt replaced that disappointment. "C'mon Ruby." She helped the little girl up.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't better." Ruby muttered.

"Hey, hey. This is me we're talking about. Not a whole lot of people can beat me." She reassured her.

Ruby gave a weak smile.

"Besides, practice makes perfect. And when you're older, you'll be stronger. Now, I believe it's lunch time."

She tried to keep interactions outside in Vale to a minimum. With the rations nearly gone, they had to eat cheap fast food to save the little lien she scrounged up. However, she couldn't eat out with Ruby instead she had to get the food and bring it back to the warehouse. She was a relatively unknown player in the grand scheme of things and she opted to keep it like that. She was about to leave before she turned to face Ruby.

"Remember the rules when I am gone?"

"Keep quiet. Call if there's any trouble." Ruby held out an old scroll Cinder gave her.

"And just in case."

Ruby pocketed the scroll and took out a small pocket knife. She snapped it open to show her the sharp blade. Cinder ruffled Ruby's hair and headed out.

* * *

Cinder walked amongst the ruined buildings of Vale. The riots had taken a massive toll on the city. Smashed windows, burnt down buildings, and rubble was all the eye could see. If she didn't know about the riots, she'd wager it was the Grimm. There was a heavy police presence with one or two huntsmen watching the streets.

Fear and tension was rampant, which worked in favor of her. She reached her destination, McDoyle's. A popular fast food chain that served cheap and probably unhealthy food. Still, they had to eat something. Getting a simple salad for herself and the kid's meal for Ruby, she left the fast food restaurant, bag in hand.

She began walking through the more empty parts of Vale, the destruction there was more prominent there. She was completely alone until she saw a young girl rushing toward her. As she got closer, more of the girl's features became noticeable.

The girl was a faunus, with those cat ears. She was wearing a black scarf that covered most of her face except her piercing amber eyes. When she reached Cinder, she tried grabbing her bag. Cinder moved the bag away and with her free arm, grabbed the faunus by the wrist. Lifting her up, she looked around to make sure no one was watching.

"Now… I assume you want this?" She lifted the bag and shook it mockingly. The faunus was silent.

"Well?"

The faunus feebly nodded.

"Tell me." She paused and watched the young faunus struggle.

"Now, why should I let you go?" The faunus was silent, contemplating her actions.

Then a darkened mirror image of the faunus shot out and headbutted her. Her aura took most of the hit but the shock was enough for her to drop the girl.

" _Fuck!"_ She yelled in reaction. The girl scrambled to run away. Cinder was about to give chase but she realized the girl was trying to survive and that made her not worth it.

Still, the girl had a semblance, which was rare. She wasn't worried about being identified for her actions, she was just another face in a crowd. Besides, with the attitude toward the faunus right now, nobody would care about her.

And with her semblance, she'd probably get swooped up by one of the combat schools or worse if anyone did care. Eventually reaching the warehouse that was her temporary home, she was almost tackled to the ground by Ruby when she entered.

" _Ciiiiiinder!"_ She said as she clung onto her.

"Yeah?"

"Hi." Ruby let go of Cinder and plopped onto the floor.

"One kid's meal for a pretty girl." Ruby snatched the meal and almost started eating before Cinder cleared her throat.

"Manners, right." Ruby muttered. "Thank you."

She said before slowly eating her food. Cinder was about to join eating with her when her scroll let out an alert. It was from _'Junior'._ Apparently he found him but there were some complications and she had to see him.

"Finally." She muttered.

"Hmm?" Ruby looked up to Cinder.

"I have to go."

" _Again?"_ Ruby asked somewhat dejected.

"Won't be long. Stay out of trouble." Ruby gave her a small mischievous smile.

"Stay out of trouble." She repeated.

She exited the warehouse and made her way to the club where Junior resided. As she entered the club, she noticed something was off. There were small puddles of blood on the floor with shattered glass and bullet cases scattered amongst them. Junior was in the middle of the chaos.

"I am not going to ask about the mess, but I will ask why _it took you so damn long_ _to find one man."_

"There's been a development, sweet cheeks." _If she didn't need him, she wouldn't bother with this two bit criminal._

"Lopez is under lock and key."

"Just give me all the damn details." She said annoyed.

"Apparently, the old bastard fought a ' _drop-out.'_ "

She paused.

This was bad. A drop-out was essentially a wild card, a piece that wasn't supposed to be on the board. A disruptive force in the grand scheme of things. They ranged from an annoying nuisance, up to a full-fledged threat. They got that name because they were ' _drop-outs'_ out of a combat school. They were wanted fugitives as 'dropping out' was considered a major crime.

New drop-outs were nuisance, but drop-outs that survive a long time had the same equivalent strength as the huntsmen. There is a reason why the longer a huntsmen lived, the stronger they got, and the same applied to drop-outs. While huntsmen were pretty much sanctioned mercenaries, there was a limit to what they could get away with… _mostly._

While most _actual_ mercenaries, alongside two bit thugs like 'Junior', were little more than aura-powered-yet-semblance lacking thugs, drop-outs were skilled aura users with semblances. And that made them infinitely more dangerous. They took very illegal jobs that most often ended in bloodbaths.

"Who was it?" Cinder asked. The drop-out rate of combat schools may be steadily declining, but that still meant a few old drop-outs were still kicking.

"Felix."

 _Shit. FUCKING SHIT._ That helmet-wearing, monologue-giving, lying sack of shit! He was bad news. He was one of the oldest drop-outs out there. The cocky bastard said it's because of luck, so much so he took a stupid alias that means 'luck'. Dumb alias aside, he was trouble. She concealed her anger. He was dangerous for sure, but if he had his partner with him…

"Just Felix?" Junior looked at her for a moment before he understood her question.

"Locus isn't with him anymore." Cinder almost let out a sigh of relief.

Felix on his own… she could take him if he was off-guard. There was still the matter of his employer.

"I don't suppose you know who employed him?"

"I don't think a young lady like you should know that. The only reason why I even told you about Felix is because you're a paying customer. But his employers..."

He paused. She thought on what he said. It was true she was young… but she wasn't that young. Her appearance probably made her seem younger than she really was. A blessing one moment, a curse the next.

"I can handle myself. _Now tell me._ " She said with malice in her voice.

Junior gulped, not because of her but because of what she was about to tell her.

"It was the Strangerhood. They are the ones who took Lopez."

 _FUCK. THIS IS WORSE THAN FELIX._ _FUCK. FUCK._ She couldn't conceal her emotions at that moment.

"Told ya." He muttered.

The Strangerhood… it was the fucking cult that worshiped the Grimm. There's a reason why they are called the ' _Human Grimm'._ They probably took part in every single violent act she could think of. From blood orgies to the pillaging villages to… doing _unspeakable things_ to children. The thought of Ruby… _no no no no._ She pushed that thought far, _far_ away. They make her look like a saint, but then again, she wasn't the worst person out there.

"Well, that concludes our business together." She saw a young blonde girl stumble around in the club, probably drugged out of her mind.

"And frankly, I hope we never do business again." Junior saw what she was looking at, the blonde girl.

"I can explain..."

"Don't. I'd say whatever gets your rocks off… but you disgust me. Goodbye ' _Junior'._ "

" _MY NAME IS HEI AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT."_ He tried explaining as she left his club.

Despite occasional thoughts about harming children, the faunus girl… and her first encounter with Ruby came to mind, she had never actually harmed a child. The more she actually thought about it, the more ashamed she felt. _How could she even think those thoughts? When she first met Ruby, she considered leaving her to the Grimm._ She recoiled in disgust. _Clearly her isolation had made her… too apathetic._ She let her mission consume her. She was a child once too.

Yet she was more than willing to continue to hurt and kill to accomplish her retribution. But where did she draw the line? If she followed those darker thoughts, which included killing children, _she would be just like them._ Frankly all these horrible thoughts made her sick. She made a silent resolve not to think or even consider those horrible thoughts any more.

When she reached the warehouse, she found Ruby reading a comic book. Walking up to Ruby, her surrogate daughter gave a bright smile. She embraced Ruby in a tight and loving hug.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"I am now." She whispered into Ruby's ear. " _I am now."_

* * *

 _She awoke up early. She was holding something soft and fragile, Ruby._ She fell asleep cuddling her. She didn't want to let go. She wanted to pretend that she didn't have to deal with Felix and the Strangerhood. She wanted to pretend those fears of Ruby ending up in their clutches were gone. At that moment, she felt so powerless.

She hasn't felt like that since… _visions of the burning corpses_ flashed in her head… _no no._ She had to stay in control. _She had to._ She made a mental checklist.

 _Find Felix. Get information out of Felix. Kill Felix. Find where the Strangerhood are keeping Lopez. Sneak Lopez out. Enact step one of her plan._ She felt a little better. She hugged Ruby and felt much better. She didn't want to leave… but she had to.

She slowly got up, making sure Ruby was still asleep. As she stretched, she looked back at Ruby. She was… adorable when she was sleeping. She gave her a small kiss on her forehead. The tribulations of the morning rituals and training was a blur for her.

Thoughts of the Strangerhood haunted her. When Ruby's training was over, she prepared herself for the trials ahead.

"Listen, Ruby. I am about to do something dangerous. Really dangerous." Ruby's silver eyes went dull.

"You're not going to leave, are you?"

"Ruby, I am not her. I won't leave you, ever. I love you." She planted a small kiss on her forehead.

"Now, please be safe. Any trouble call me. And keep that knife handy." Ruby gave her a tight hug.

"Come back, safe. Please."

"Of course, my gem." She then left the warehouse.

Taking a deep breath, she had to be focused for this. She had to focus on the _hate._ _Felix_ flashed in her mind. She hated the smug bastard. She concentrated all the hatred she felt in her life onto him. Exhaling, she was focused on wiping that smug grin of his face. She had to take a taxi to get to her destination.

She sat in an uncomfortable silence with the driver while thoughts of seething hate enveloped her. As she left the taxi, she was surrounded by bright lights and tall buildings. The so-called ' _Upper-Class District'_ of Vale. It was a sickening sight. A technological marvel for some, but to her, it was an eye-sore. Felix had a habit of frivolously spending money and went for the most expensive things. He most likely went for the biggest and most expensive apartment. She looked up for the biggest building there was and made her way to it. _Charon Apartments._

Their whole building was huge and an eye-sore. She needed to give herself a small disguise, just in case. She took out a small blonde wig and put it on. Security cameras were a nuisance but as long as she didn't directly show her face or her prominent features, she should be good. Entering the building, she made her way to the reception desk. She dialed back her thoughts of hatred.

"Hey." She greeted the receptionist.

The receptionist put on a perky smile and Cinder matched her expression.

"So… um… this is _quite_ embarrassing. So I am meeting a friend here but, he forgot to tell me which room he was staying in and… silly me, I forgot my scroll." She said in an overly happy tone. _God, she hated doing this._ The receptionist eyed her and determined that she wasn't a threat.

"Sure, sweetie." She almost twitched.

"What's your friend's name?" _Would Felix be arrogant enough to use his well-known alias for this? Probably._

"Felix."

"Let me see..." She paused as she looked at the screen. "Oh, he is on floor thirteen, in room six-three-six. Must be a pretty loaded guy. That room has the best view."

"Yep. Thanks." She muttered. She went to the elevator and waited as the elevator slowly ascended to the heavens. She looked around the elevator, no cameras? That was a huge security oversight if she ever saw one. She activated the dust in her clothing and reconfigured her clothing to more combat appropriate attire.

A black domino mask formed over her face with a black infiltration suit. She held out her hands and a brief flash of light blinded her. And in her hands was a black bow with an arrow already in place. The elevator door opened and she aimed her bow. She looked left and right before exiting the elevator. She saw the room she was looking for right down the left hall.

Keeping her bow aimed at the door. She slowly made her way to the door. She paused right in front of the door. She took a deep breath. _Hatred._ Her outfit emitted a small orange hue. She kicked down the door and found Felix drinking a bottle of alcohol.

There was a second of silence. She fired her bow. Felix dropped the bottle and quickly raised up his hand. A blue shield formed, protecting most of his body. The arrow bounced off harmlessly. _Damn his semblance._ She primed her next arrow to detonate.

"Is that you, ' _Cindy'?_ I like the look. But you know tiny masks don't really work." She fired her arrow. Felix dodged to the left and into the kitchen. He flipped over a table and took cover. The arrow struck a huge window pane that was in place of a wall, _to allow for a 'beautiful view' of Vale._

 _BOOM!_ The arrow exploded, sending shards of glass flying. Cinder took cover by the door frame as the glass shards flew past her. Felix laughed, clearly enjoying this. She ignored him. Priming another arrow to explode, she went out of cover to fire. A knife shot out and struck the arrow out of the bow. The arrow landed at her feet, about to explode.

She leapt into the room to avoid the explosion. The explosion struck her back and pushed her to the edge of the blown out window. The explosion knocked out nearly a quarter of her aura. While she didn't have an exact number, she had mentally trained herself to identify the state of her aura. She was faced with the view of Vale, and it _sickened_ her _._

Turning around, she found Felix charging at her with a sword. _Fuck fuck fuck._ Switching her bow into a pair of swords, she held them out to block Felix's downward slash. As he pushed down, she fell onto one of her knees. She grunted in frustration and took her left sword and slashed. The strike pushed him back, allowing her to get up. They both charged each other. She tried striking him with both of her swords, but he activated his damn shield.

 _CLANG!_ Her attack was stopped midway and as the knock-back pushed her right back to the edge. He resumed his charge once more. She swung at him but he slid underneath her swing and managed to kick her left sword out of her hand. The sword fell helplessly toward the ground below. He got up and let out a flurry of strikes but she managed to bob and weave through them. She then let out a stream of fire from her free hand toward him. He did a flashy back flip to get away.

"I'm so awesome." He said proudly. "Tell me I am awesome." She ignored him, his mind games would cost her this if she gave in. She took out a red Dust crystal and energized it. She threw it over his head. As it arced over him, she charged him. He made a mistake.

He put his shield to block her but the red Dust crystal blew up as it hit the floor. The explosion threw him to her and she focused all her energy into one strike. The single strike propelled him into the wall. He smashed into the wall, leaving a sizable dent.

"That hurt. No mister nice guy." He threatened. She went into a defensive stance. He took out a pistol out of his pants and began firing. _Dust bullets! No time to dodge._ She blocked most of the bullets with her sword. But several bullets got past, hitting her in the chest and stomach. Flashes of lighting coursed through her body and caused several spasms. If she didn't have aura, she would be dead. Her aura was at half strength. He charged while the bullets disabled her temporarily. He struck her across the stomach with her sword.

Aura at a quarter of its strength. Another slash, aura nearly depleted. She wouldn't survive the next one. _Desperate times._ She activated the Dust in her clothing to let out a burst of flames. He jumped back as she recovered. Her aura was gone, she couldn't afford any more damage. She activated the Dust in her sword. She slash the air with her sword, a wave of fire shot out and Felix activated his shield to block the attack. But Cinder didn't stop her onslaught.

She sent several more waves of fire at Felix. With each strike, she moved closer and closer to Felix, while Felix was backed up against the wall. With his back to the wall, she energized the Dust in her sword and threw it next to Felix. The sword embedded itself into the wall. The sword flashed for a brief moment. _Boom!_ The explosion pushed Felix forward, right into Cinder's fist. He was knocked onto the ground but before he could get up, a small orange circle appeared under him.

"Son of a bitch." He muttered before screaming in pain as a jet of flames erupted beneath him. She let him burn for a solid minute. When the flames ceased, he was suffering from first degree burns, bordering on second degree burns. Hopefully, he wasn't hurt too badly, she needed him alive, for now. She was exhausted from the battle.

She almost lost… the thought of her losing filled her with dread. She turned her back on the burnt body. She needed to move fast. Security was no doubt moving already. She had to get the information now.

"Alright, Felix. Now you're going to..." She turned around as Felix charged her, with a knife in hand. He stabbed her right in the gut.

" _Argh!"_ She screamed. She involuntary activated her semblance. A destructive blast shot forth from her.

 _BOOM!_

The blast knocked her into the wall while it Felix was flung out the window.

" _No!"_ He was her only lead! The room was on fire now with smoke started filling her lungs. She had to get out _now!_ She rushed out of the room, hand covering the wound. She had to get somewhere safe, _if she didn't bleed out first._

She made her way to the elevator. The elevator opened up and revealed a female security guard. _Oh hell._ The guard reached for her gun, but Cinder punched the guard in the throat with her free hand. The guard clutched her throat while Cinder punched her stomach. The guard fell over, unconscious.

"Wrong place, wrong time." She muttered. She began stripping the guard out of her clothes. Ripping the clothes up, she wrapped the pieces of cloth around her wound. She willed the Dust in her clothes to reconfigure itself. Instead of something casual, she formed the Dust into an overcoat and her mask transformed into a scarf and hat.

Nobody would recognize her as the girl who went up to Felix's room. She looked down at the unconscious guard. She had to hide the body. She dragged the body out of the elevator and once the body was out, she held out her hand. Once more an orange circle underneath. A jet of fire erupted beneath the body. She held out her hand for a solid two minutes. When she lowered her hand, burnt flesh filled the air with a pile of ashes on the floor.

She went back into the elevator and pushed the button for the lobby. Pain and exhaustion nearly overtook her. She leaned on the wall for support. She almost died! She would have left Ruby all alone. _Fuck! This whole thing was for nothing!_ She lost Felix, _no loss there_ , but still! She probably lost her only chance to find Lopez.

The elevator doors opened. She clinched her teeth and walked casually toward the entrance. _Oh god the pain!_ Everyone was running around, panicked. Security guards were on the radio. She had to move before the police got here, or worse, a huntsman.

When she reached the entrance, she saw something that made her froze. A fucking huntress was already here. She was examining an oddly shaped dent on the street that looked like… Felix's shield. _Yes!_ He was still alive _. FUCK!_ He was still alive. The young huntress was surrounded by several detectives.

"It's him." The huntress said to the detectives. The cops began murmuring.

"Are you sure?" One of the cops asked.

"I'm sure, Detective Burns."

"Then the investigation is all yours, Miss Goodwitch." _Fuck._ She now has to find Felix before this huntress does.

She hailed a taxi to take her back to the warehouse to rest and recover. As she sat there in the taxi, she tried to focus on something other than the pain. Her scroll began ringing. She took out her scroll to see who it was. _It was Ruby._ A huge feeling of dread filled her.

" _Oh no."_ She whispered.

* * *

 _BOOM!_

The explosion threw him out the window.

" _OH FUCK!"_ He screamed as he fell.

He frantically waved his arms as he fell. The ground was getting closer and closer. There was only one possible way for him to survive this but even then… it might not work. He dived toward the ground and held out his hand. His semblance activated. A blue shield shot out a few inches in front of his hand. It was a risky move, but it was his only move.

The shield slammed into the ground and took most of the impact. Felix hovered in the air for a brief moment, looking like he was hand standing in the air.

 _YES!_ It worked, the shield took most of the impact! It was a good thing his shield was projected a few inches in front of him. He dropped his shield and fell face first.

"Ow." He muttered. He looked around at the growing crowd that began to surround him. He looked down at the ground. A sewer cover… hmm.

"Nothing to see here, folks!" He pulled out a smoke bomb from his pants and threw it at the ground. As the smoke blinded everyone, he opened the hatch and dropped down into the murky sewers below. He has some supplies stashed down here, he just had to find them. He rummaged through the sewers for about a minute before he found his bag of goodies.

A helmet, a rifle, and a collection of knives. _Perfect._ Now all he had to do is find where Cinder was staying at. _He needs to repay the favor._

Now who was the best at getting information? ' _Junior'?_ Pffft, he ain't dealing with him. If Locus was still here, _he'd probably already have the information._

No, he didn't want to think about him, _he left him_ and that's that. Who else was a shady motherfucker who could get information? One back-stabbing motherfucker came to mind.

 _Roman Torchwick._ While he was a relatively unknown criminal, he was a solid criminal. He took out his scroll and tried to remember what his number was. Once he remembered, he dialed it and listened to it ring.

"Y'ello?" Roman greeted.

" _Heeeeeey, Roman."_

"This better not be who I think it is."

"Is that how you greet an old friend?"

"I don't even think we're mutual acquaintances." Roman retorted.

"I just need your help with something. And I am kinda in a hurry."

"What's in it for me?" Roman asked.

"A favor from yours truly. There was a pause.

"Who are you looking for?"

"A bitch named Cinder Fall."

"Ahhhhh. That's going to be a problem. See, me and her have a business agreement."

 _Fuck._

"Whatever she is helping you with, I'll do it for free." He offered.

He seriously hoped Roman wouldn't give that damn cliché line of ' _honor amongst thieves.'_

"Hmmm." At least Roman was considering it.

"I don't know where she hangs out exactly, but the last time I saw her, she was walking toward the docks. Now, when the deed is done, I will need your help in a heist."

"Glad we could come to an agreement." He hung up. He wanted to get the jump on Cinder, so he rushed through the sewers for several minutes and when he was sure he was an ample distance away from the apartment, he emerged from the sewers.

He was at the edge of the ' _Upper-Class'_ district. He looked around the outskirts of the district. " _Oooh. I likey."_ He said as he spotted a motorcycle with a grey and orange paint-job. He immediately hopped on and began hot-wiring it. When the engine roared to life, he sped off toward the docks. He was already forming a condescending monologue to give when he ends that bitch. He wants to see her surprised face when she comes to her little ' _safe'_ haven, only to see him.

The thought made him smile. When he reached the docks, he found a lone rundown warehouse with several more in the distance. Cinder did like her isolation. He took out his rifle and switched off the safety. Who knows if Cinder was paranoid enough to leave booby traps in the warehouse. He slowly approached the warehouse door. He readied his rifle and kicked down the door.

He saw a little girl reading a book. She looked up and… _He fired._ The girl disappeared in a flurry of rose petals. He heard a door open and slam shut.

 _Oh this was gold._ Cinder probably got knocked up. He chuckled to himself. The brat may have a semblance, but that won't help her. He now wanted to take the kid alive, but that doesn't mean he wasn't afraid to rough her up. He slowly approached the office she was hiding in. He readied his rifle once more.

If she was Cinder's kid, she wasn't completely helpless. He paused in front of the door, ready for anything. He kicked down the door and found the little girl, with knife in hand. She was clearly panicking, he could almost smell the fear.

 _BANG!_

He fired toward her knee. She dodged to the right, leaving a small trail of petals.

 _Fuck it!_ He aimed for her chest.

 _BANG!_ She went to the left. _BANG!_

She charged forward, _too fast for him to activate his semblance._

She let out a flurry of strikes only to be blocked by his armor. He was low on aura, and if he wasn't wearing his armor, he would have probably been seriously hurt, but it looks like the girl is lacking in the strength department. She realized the futility of it and ran past him. She was heading for the exit, _not if he can help it._ He took aim at the red blur and _fired._

The bullet struck the girl's back and the girl skidded across the floor with the knife clattering out of her hands. He rushed toward the girl and dragged her away from the exit. The aura must have protected her from that shot, but he'd wager that her aura was depleted. The girl struggled against the grip and managed to kick him in the groin, so he _shot_ her near the gut.

 _BANG!_

The girl screamed out in pain.

"Oh shut up. You won't bleed out… immediately. _So shut up and I won't make it worse for you."_

The girl whimpered so he put his foot on her wound and _pushed._ He reveled to her cries of pain.

" _Let her go."_ He turned and faced Cinder.

 _Now it was time for fun._

* * *

 _She immediately opened her scroll._

" _Ruby, what's wrong?!"_

" _There's a man here and he tried shooting me! I am in the bedroom but I don't know what to do! Mom, I'm scared."_ Ruby's voice started cracking.

 _Felix._ Dread began filling her.

"I'll be there as fast as I can. Remember your training, and try to get out of there! I won't let anything happen to you."

"O..okay." Ruby sniffled.

" _Be strong. I'll be there soon."_ Ruby must have closed the scroll.

" _Listen."_ She told the driver. " _You better step on it or else."_

The taxi screeched to a halt. "Listen, lady. Don't tell me how to drive."

She got out of the taxi and went to the driver's side. She smashed the window and dragged the driver out. She tossed him out and entered the driver's seat. She sped off toward the docks. She wasn't worried about getting identified, even if most of her features weren't already covered up.

Quickly reaching the docks, she rushed to the warehouse. A grizzly sight greeted her. Felix was stepping on a bleeding Ruby. _SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE HIM SUFFER._

" _Let her go."_ Her voice barely containing her rage.

"Nah, she's my leverage. Try anything and." He pointed his rifle toward Ruby. " _Bang._ You get the idea."

 _HE WILL BURN_.

"Now, I wasn't expecting a kid, ' _Cindy'._ Tell me, who'd you bang for the kid."

She remained silent. She had to strike hard and fast without hurting Ruby.

"Eh, doesn't matter. Now, I am assuming you wanted to find me because of a job."

 _HE WILL SUFFER._

"Your silence says it all. So I am going to take a stab in the dark and assume you know about Lopez and the Strangerhood."

Silence.

"Yep, you definitely do. They pay well for a cult."

Her aura was still low, it hasn't fully recharged. His aura was probably low too.

"Are you even listening? Here's a thought, if you're going to give me the silent treatment, perhaps after this, I give the brat to the Strangerhood as a gift. I'm sure they would love to bend the kid over and show her ' _true love'._ "

She couldn't contain her rage. She shot out a concentrated beam of fire toward him. He summoned his shield, but the beam threw him off his feet. Not before he could get a shot off, which struck Ruby in the chest.

" _NO!"_ She shot more beams of concentrated _hate_ and _anger_ at him. The fiery beams kept striking his shield as he was flung onto the wall, shield still holding. She fired again and again, as the concentrated streams of fire continued to hammer against his shield. Tears were sliding down her face.

 _RUBY WAS GONE._

His shield was now effectively pinning against the wall. She kept firing over and over as she moved closer and closer.

 _HE TOOK RUBY AWAY FROM HER!_

His blue shield was now showing cracks all over, _it was on the verge of breaking._ Her onslaught of vengeance kept on going. Then his shield broke, _but she didn't stop._

 _HE KILLED HER._

Tears fell to the floor.

" _ARGH! STOP!"_ He begged for mercy. " _I'LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW."_

He shouted as she continued to fire. The beams of fire were becoming larger and more out of control. At this rate, she was going to overload the Dust and cause a massive chain reaction that would probably kill her, _but in that moment she didn't care._

She heard a small cough behind her.

 _Could it be?_ _Ruby! She was still alive._

She immediately ceased her vengeance and ran to Ruby.

" _Ruby! I am sorry! I'm here now!"_ She started crying again.

Ruby gave her a weak smile as blood spilled out of her mouth. Her hands were wet with Ruby's blood as she desperately tried to stop the blood flowing out. Her eyes began to close. _She wasn't going to make it. No no no no!_

There was only one way to ensure her survival… but it will be unbearably painful. She decided to take that risk. She turned briefly to make sure Felix was incapacitated. He was a burnt mess, barely resembling his former self.

A child's aura was painful to unlock because of how undeveloped it was. Interacting with a child's aura is equally painful because of that fact. And one's own aura may speed up the healing process, fully healing wounds requires someone else to share their aura, which is painful in it's own right. It was even more painful if the person doing the healing had low aura. The odds were against her. But that didn't matter, _what did matter was seeing Ruby's smile again._

She put her hand where Ruby's heart was. She took a deep breath and projected all of her aura into Ruby.

" _ARGH!"_

She clinched her teeth as it felt like her very soul was being ripped out. Her nerves were on fire! She couldn't breath! She felt her flesh melt right of her skin. Her body recoiled from the shock and the pain. Her head was throbbing with pain.

Yet she continued. Her vision started to blur but she saw Ruby's wounds closing and healing. Ruby's heart started beating faster and faster as the pain continued to increase. Then she felt her very soul touch Ruby's soul. And it was a beautiful feeling.

Ruby's soul was small and honest, _and it embraced Cinder's own soul. A loving embrace between a mother and her daughter, unrelated by blood yet their souls said otherwise._ Through the pain, she managed a smile. It was done and Cinder removed her hand. She nearly collapsed in exhaustion. She managed to get up and pick up Ruby.

She walked slowly and carefully walked into the office with Ruby in her arms. She gingerly put Ruby in her own bed. She brushed Ruby's hair out of her face. _She wasn't going to lose her like she lost them._ She left the room and looked upon the burnt mess that was Felix.

She was going to keep true to her word, _he is going to suffer._ She dragged a steel chair to the center of the warehouse. She then picked up Felix and dropped into the chair. She rummaged through the containers of the warehouse. She took out a set of chains and a crowbar. She tied up Felix with the chains, and prepared to _make him pay._

She swung the crowbar at one of his kneecaps.

 _CRACK!_

His aura was gone, leaving him no protection.

"ARGH!" The hit jolted him awake. "Oh, _hey Cindy._ I know you're probably mad about me killing your kid but..."

She swung the crowbar at his other kneecap.

 _CRACK!_

" _FUCK! ARGH! YOU WERE ALWAYS A BITCH, YOU KNOW THAT?_ " He started taking deep breaths.

"You think you can break me?! You can't break me!" He screamed.

She dropped the crowbar.

"Yeah, that's right." Cinder walked slowly to one of the containers. She took out a small yellow Dust crystal. She walked back to the tied up Felix.

"Wait, what are you doing?!" She ripped off his helmet and jammed the Dust crystal in his eye. She pushed it deeper and deeper while Felix screamed. Then she activated the Dust. Felix started screaming as the Dust started shooting several thousand volts of electricity through him.

" _I'LL TALK! JUST STOP! PLEASE!"_ She waited for a whole minute before ripping the crystal out.

"I… assume… you want to know where they are keeping Lopez?" She twirled the crystal in her hand.

He eyed the crystal fearfully with his one good eye. "They are keeping him at Mountain Glenn! Just no more! PLEASE!" She energized the crystal and tossed it onto his lap.

" _No! No!"_ A small explosion of electricity enveloped him. She was running out of time. She had to finish him _now,_ but he didn't deserve a quick death. As he screamed she walked over and picked up his rifle. As the electricity stopped, she placed the rifle in his mouth. Then she noticed Ruby stumbling out of the room. Ruby rubbed her eyes.

She looked at the scene before her. She walked slowly to Cinder and gave her a small hug. "Are you alright, Ruby?"

Ruby hummed in response.

"Are you going to make the bad man go away?"

"… I am." Cinder said.

"Can… can… I do it?" Cinder was taken back by Ruby's question.

 _Did she really want Ruby to have blood on her hands this young? Then again… it was Felix. The bastard hurt her. But there was a huge disconnect between desensitizing her to violence to actually having her commit it._

"Are you absolutely sure you want to?"

"I want to be strong like you." Cinder slowly moved over and allowed Ruby to take the gun, barrel still in Felix's mouth.

"Now, when you fire a gun, it tends to have a lot more kick than you would expect." She held Ruby's arms to straighten her stance. "When you pull the trigger, expect the force of the gun to knock you off your feet."

Ruby muttered a ' _yes'._

" _It's okay to close your eyes, Ruby."_ Ruby pulled the trigger.

 _BANG!_

Ruby was pushed back but Cinder kept her steady. Felix's head exploded into several pieces of brain matter and chunks of flesh.

 _THUD!_

Ruby dropped the rifle, and the silence in the room was momentary broken. Ruby's hands were trembling but she was there to steady them. Ruby turned around, Cinder looked at her in shock. The girl's eyes were no longer silver but amber, _her eye color._

"It was the right thing to do, right?" She regained her composure.

"Of course, Ruby." She hugged the girl. When she stopped hugging Ruby, she looked into the girl's eyes again. Ruby's eyes were silver once more, _was she imagining things?_

"Ruby, we've got to leave here." She said quietly. Ruby nodded solemnly. "Pack your things in the bag and change your clothes, I'll be with you in a minute."

Ruby walked slowly into the room. She searched the corpse of the deceased bastard. He had several hundred lien on him, enough for them to scrape by and buy a room. She sighed… she was going to have to burn this place down to the ground. She went to several of the containers and spilled its contents onto the floor.

Several small Dust crystals started rolling onto the floor. With that done, she picked up the rifle and entered the office. Ruby was no longer wearing her blood stained clothes and packed up for the both of them, everything from the toothpaste to the history books to Ruby's comic books. She placed the rifle into the duffel bag.

She slung the duffel bag onto her shoulders and picked up Ruby. As she exited the warehouse, she looked behind at the empty warehouse. It… was her first home with Ruby. With her free hand, she energized a red Dust crystal and tossed it into the warehouse. As she walked away, the warehouse exploded, leaving the charred remains of a former home.

* * *

Walking in the cold streets with Ruby was _unnerving._ She felt vulnerable with Ruby in her arms. The darkened streets of the night never frightened her, but here she was, trembling with Ruby in her arms. She was battered and beaten, utterly exhausted. It was almost like a cruel joke, she thought she was ready to take Felix easily but instead had to fight tooth and nail just to survive. But she won against _Felix._

She should be happy! She finally killed that smug bastard who had beaten her time and time again whenever they met. The bastard deserved it. Yet she was not happy, she's worried. She knew it was because she almost lost Ruby. Logically, she should have not bonded with Ruby, but Cinder threw that thought out. Ruby was her daughter now, and nothing was ever going to changed that, _ever_. She wandered the lonely roads for several minutes looking for a place to stay.

Everything was gone, she needed to rest and recover. Ruby needed a proper roof and bed. They needed a place to stay. She recalled how much lien she had. She doesn't have enough to rent out an apartment. Cinder spotted a dirty and unkempt motel up ahead. Perhaps, she should try there? She wanted nothing more to lay down and rest.

She heard Ruby snoring quietly on her shoulder. Cinder had to admit it was adorable. The thought brightened her up somewhat, helping her forget what had transpired several minutes ago. She couldn't believe she had almost lost Ruby. The rage and despair she felt… when she thought Ruby died… she hadn't felt that level of rage or despair in a long time. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, but it reminded her why she does horrible things.

Reaching the rundown motel, she entered slowly, watching every movement. She was carrying something precious, that she dared not to lose. It was safer to be overly paranoid than to let her guard drop right now.

"Hello?" She said as she rung the bell.

"Be with you in a minute." A shrill voice replied. Then the attendant came up to the counter. "And what can I help yo…. Are you alright miss?"

Cinder didn't understand her question. "P..ardon?"

"A young lady walks in with her kid looking like she took a beating. Is everything okay, miss? Do you want me to call the cops?"

 _Fuck, she was too tired to deal with this._

"I'm fine. I know what this seems like. And I assure you, no abusive boyfriend or anything like that. I just want to get a good night's rest with my daughter."

"Oh… okay. But I don't mean to pry, but what happened?"

 _Need to lie. Need to rest._

"A mugging." She lied. The attendant opened her mouth.

"I already gave the details to the police. _Please, it's been a long day. I just want to sleep."_ The attendant looked at her with sympathy.

"Alright."

"So how much is it for a room?" Cinder asked.

"I'll make an exception for you."

" _What?"_

"I know what it's like being a single mom. Here is your key. It's room three." Cinder felt weird accepting a stranger's kindness. _Was this a trap of some sort?_

"I don't know what to say." Cinder said dumbstruck.

"It's nothing but if you need anything, let me know."

"… _Thank you."_

* * *

 _Cinder entered the grimy motel room, with Ruby resting on her shoulder. She dropped the duffel bag and gently laid Ruby on the single bed. She was exhausted and the adrenaline was dying down. The pain in her gut returned slowly. She groaned quietly. She hated how bad things went today. The price of information was too high. She lost a useful base of operations, nearly died, almost got Ruby killed._

She grimaced at the thought of her failing today. She just wanted to pretend that this horrible day never happened. She crawled into the bed with Ruby and hugged her tight as sleep took her. When she awoke, she was still holding onto Ruby tight. She stayed there in bed, contemplating her actions. The heist wasn't for a couple more days, which was a relief.

She couldn't deal with Roman right now. But what she did have to deal with was rescuing Lopez from the Strangerhood at Mountain Glenn. _Fuck._ She was low on Dust, and had no resources to reach Mountain Glenn. She might actually have to get… _a fucking huntsman_ to rescue him. The thought disgusted her but she could see no other way. She looked at Ruby.

 _Was she a bad mother?_ Ruby turned around and nuzzled her head into Cinder's chest. _No! Ruby needed her. Ruby needs her… and maybe she needs Ruby._ She laid there on the bed, hugging Ruby for a long time. Ruby stirred and greeted Cinder with her silver eyes.

"Good morning." She yawned.

"Morning." She smiled at Ruby.

"Where are we?" She asked while blinking her eyes.

"Just a motel."

"Hmm."

"I think they got cable."

"Really?" Ruby perked up.

"Since we're in a little bind, no training for today. I suppose you can watch some television."

"I get to watch TV?" She didn't allow Ruby to watch TV, but to be fair, she didn't really have any TVs at the warehouse. "Yep." She turned on the television with the remote. The holographic screen was projected onto the wall.

"… _And in other news, the dangerous mercenary known as Felix..."_ Cinder quickly changed the channel.

" _This week on Orange vs. Violet..."_ She got up off the bed and made her way to the bathroom. It was dirty, small, and cramped but she'd been in worse. She undressed herself and looked into the dirty mirror. Bruises, scars, and burns marked her body. She carefully took of the cloth that was covering the stab wound.

Her aura may speed up the healing process, but like always, aura did nothing for the pain. She winced slightly as she went through the cabinet. _Empty._ She almost growled in frustration. She hated this feeling. She hated feeling weak, hated feeling powerless. She really hated the feeling of despair and helplessness when Ruby… was hurt.

She made a small flame in her hand and watched it flicker. Fire was dangerous and required a large amount of concentration to wield properly. She let her rage dictate her actions, and that almost got her and _Ruby killed._ It taught her one thing, she was still inexperienced. She thought all her time surviving, training, it would be enough.

 _But it wasn't._ She went up against the equivalent to a skilled huntsman and nearly _lost everything._ She looked into the mirror and started crying. Small tears slid down her face. She thought she was strong enough to handle this. She thought she could keep calm and in control. She thought she could handle the responsibility of raising a child.

She wasn't ready for failure. She wasn't ready to feel that same level of despair again when she thought she lost Ruby. She looked in the mirror again and gave a small smile. _It wasn't all bad._ Ruby was now the only bright light in her life. But this experience taught her one thing, both her and Ruby needed to get stronger.

This world was full of conflict, and with her planning to actively start conflict, they needed to get better. She gave a small smile as a humorous thought entered her head of Ruby and her as a mother-daughter duo taking on the world and winning.

She gave a content sigh. She then stepped into the small shower. The hot water washed all the doubt and blood off her body. Once she was done with her shower, she dried off and put her clothes back on. She found Ruby giggling to the show she was watching.

" _That was the worst throw ever. Of all time._ " Ruby chuckled at that one.

Cinder strolled up to the bed and sat next to Ruby. She put her arms around Ruby. Ruby gave her a happy smile and hugged Cinder tight.

 _She could afford a day off with Ruby, a day to be happy. Any time spent with Ruby is time well spent._

" _Bow-Chicka-Bow-Wow!_ " She laughed with Ruby at the show.

* * *

She stood inside the destroyed warehouse. In the middle of the burnt warehouse, was a corpse. The body was nearly burnt beyond recognition, but she _knew._ It was him. It was Felix. She examined the body and she was disgusted. It looked like a complete monster got to him. The body may have been burned, but she could still make out some signs of torture.

Even if it was Felix, he didn't deserve this. The cops were already investigating the scene but their hearts weren't in it. To them, the case was already done. They were more than willing to take the death of Felix as a win and let the monster who did this go.

 _Would it be acceptable to claim this as a victory?_ No. All this meant was there was another monster who is extremely dangerous. If they could take down Felix, then they are most certainly dangerous. And as she looeds at Felix's dead body, extremely violent.

They are an unknown. Given their estimated skill level, the perpetrator was likely on a level of a huntsman or maybe more. She pinched her nose in frustration. She hated not knowing things. Knowledge is power, and without it, they are powerless.

She did not need an unknown player in her kingdom. Despite the fact that huntsmen and huntresses technically have no allegiance, Vale was her home. She wanted this mystery solved. She looked at the facts. The perpetrator most likely had an aura, possibly a semblance, and may be a Dust user given the Dust residue here. If they could take on Felix, then they either had years of experience or lots of training or possibly both.

Felix was an experienced...ugh… ' _drop-out'_ , she despised the term, and would likely have put up a fight. Given his fight with an unknown assailant at Charon Apartments, would the same assailant track him down and finish him or was Felix taken off guard by a third party? _No, he was too resourceful for that._ She went with the theory that the same assailant attacked him at Charon and tracked him down and finished him off here.

She looked at the report that one of the detectives gave her. There were signs of someone living here, which meant the perpetrator tracked him down to his base of operations, tortured him, and then blew up his base. Now the perpetrator was obviously skilled, possibly a huntsman or huntress? It was a very small possibility, normally a huntsman would claim credit for the bounty, but is this a huntsman who wanted revenge on Felix?

Felix made a lot of enemies over the years. She wondered how he could have fallen so low. She remembered him when he first became a huntsman-in-training, stern and straight forward. Then he was gone, and he resurfaced as a mercen...ugh… ' _drop-out'._ She hated that term but it was used to differentiate aura-powered, semblance-using mercenaries who trained in a secondary academy and freelancers, regular aura-powered mercenaries who may or may not have have a primary combat school education; both were considered mercenaries, but they require different titles.

The huge difference between the two, besides the semblance, was the training. A freelancer lacks a semblance, and thus couldn't go into secondary combat school if they even went into a primary combat academy in the first place. Most of them don't, as once it becomes clear that a primary combat student doesn't have a semblance, their options become limited.

They can either join the police, or the military. While a freelancer isn't on the same level as a ' _drop-out'_ , they were dangerous in their own right. Perhaps a freelancer got him? _Unlikely,_ as the damage indicated a lone attacker, and plus she doubted anything less than a skilled group of freelancers could have taken him. _Was it possible that the perpetrator was another… 'drop-out'?_

It was a likely possibility. An experienced ' _drop-out'_ could possibly have taken out Felix. Out of his many enemies, it would be surprising if he _hadn't_ made any enemies with other ' _drop-outs'._ She decided to look at any other possibilities.

 _The local criminal element?_ She heavily doubted it, most of the criminals either… ' _grunts',_ untrained aura-powered street thugs, or ' _non-powered'._ She hated the official terminology because of how little it was used because nobody outside of huntsmen and huntresses actually used it. She made a small note to deal with that issue later. Back on task, the criminal underworld was dealing with a power struggle, with a new player, ' _Junior'_ making pretty big waves, they were too busy to do something this big.

Even with rumors of him acquiring someone with a semblance, _likely a 'drop-out'_ , he was too wrapped up in gang wars to deal with Felix. But that wasn't her mission, and the local police had it covered… for now.

Or perhaps she is dealing with a rogue? They were rare… and mostly unheard of. They were someone who had an aura and a semblance, but most importantly who weren't trained by any academy. When someone unlocks their aura, they are immediately placed into a combat academy, for the safety of everyone.

Aura and semblances were dangerous, and _everyone_ under the age of eighteen has the potential for it. That's why they are placed into combat schools. Students who have their semblances move up to secondary combat school while those who do not have their semblances end up in the police force, the military… or end up as 'grunts' or 'freelancers'.

But a rogue had none of that. They can range from weak to extremely dangerous. And they either hid their abilities or do what they pleased with them. However that was the theory she most heavily doubted. It was probably just another ' _drop-out'_ who did this heinous act.

She knew that the police were going to drop this, chalk it up as a victory, and go home. _But she wasn't._ Most huntsmen and huntresses treated this as a job, taking missions, and getting paid. But not her. She was one of the few huntresses out there that actually upheld what it meant to be a huntress. And that meant helping out her fellow man.

Even if it was someone as despicable as Felix, he didn't deserve to have his killer walk free. And so when all the cops left the crime scene, she didn't. She was determined to find _something,_ anything. She kept searching until the sun began to rise. All that work, and she found nothing _._ She took a deep breath, anger would serve her no purpose.

Too many times she saw people give in to their anger and paid the ultimate price. Someone would lose their focus and get beaten hard. Other times they almost lost everything. She heard someone walk into the warehouse. She turned around and raised her weapon at the intruder. A man with a green suit and a cane came strolling in… it was _him._

"Ozpin." She begrudgingly greeted the man.

"Glynda." He said with that _amused_ tone of his.

"Why are you here? Don't you have something more important to do? You've been making waves in the news, _headmaster."_

Ozpin chuckled at that. "You flatter me."

"Either tell me why you are here or go away, I have official huntress business here." She retorted.

"I sincerely doubt that." Glynda shot him a look. "The police consider this case closed, so I ask you, why are you here?"

She sighed heavily.

"They consider this case closed, but I don't. I am a huntress, and that means helping your fellow man. Despite Felix being a despicable man, I won't let his killer walk free. _It isn't right._ Now I ask why are _you_ here?"

"I'm here to offer you a job, Miss Goodwitch."

" _What?"_

* * *

 _Ruby was dreaming, she knew that. She had fallen asleep in Cinder's warm embrace. She dreamed of shooting that man… that evil, evil_ man.

She thought she would feel… _bad_ about it, but she didn't. She remembered what Cinder told her.

"People who get in our way and want to hurt us _deserve to die."_ Her words echoed in her heard. " _It was the right thing to do._ "

It was the right thing to do. That _man_ didn't deserve to live. He… hurt her… and he wanted to hurt Cinder. He didn't deserve to live. She remembered the way the gun felt in her hands, _it felt right._ She didn't enjoy the particular action, but _it felt right_.

Cinder would be proud of her, _right?_ She wanted nothing more than to make Cinder happy. She was the only one she has, _she didn't want to lose her._ Cinder wasn't going to leave her _like them._ She loved Cinder, and utterly trusted her with all her being.

She remembered something special about Cinder. When she was… shot, it was cold. It was very, very cold. She couldn't feel anything. And then Cinder was there, like a warming fire, and she could feel again. She always felt a connection to Cinder but that… it was something deeper. It was like the very core of her bonded with Cinder, as if a part of Cinder was now in her. That thought was pleasant for the young girl. It gave a warm feeling and gave her happy thoughts. She wanted to keep that warm feeling with her.

Ruby awoke slowly, with Cinder quickly turning off the TV.

"Mmm. Hey." Ruby said while yawning. Cinder seemed worried for a second before she gave a smile.

"You hungry, Ruby?"

"Y..yeah." She mumbled while rubbing her eyes.

"I can't get anything fancy, so don't be picky."

"Eh..."

"Ruby."

"Fine…. I won't be picky."

"Now stay here, don't open the door for anyone. _And be safe._ " Cinder gave a tight hug before leaving.

"And brush your teeth!" Cinder shouted outside the room.

"Ugh." Ruby moaned. She grumbled and contemplated if she should brush her teeth. She grumbled as she made her way to the bathroom. She went through the mundane motions of brushing her teeth. As she finished brushing her teeth, she looked in the mirror.

She was shocked to see the color of her eyes had changed. It was no longer silver but amber… _just like Cinder's._

Naturally, Ruby had one response. " _SO COOL!"_

* * *

Ruby had fallen asleep watching cartoons with Cinder. Cinder looked at the girl she claimed as her own. For the first few weeks with Ruby, it was jarring at first for her to suddenly be raising a girl. But Ruby grew on her, and now she saw Ruby as her own daughter. She let the girl rest in her arms, while she changed the channel. She decided to watch the news in order to see if there was any interesting developments that she could use to her advantage.

" _This is the Vale News Network with Cyril Ian."_

A smug anchorman appeared on the screen.

" _Welcome to the 12 o'clock news. I am your host Cyril Ian. In a shocking turn of events, Ozpin, the famed huntsman, is now the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Vale's very own combat academy. He had this to say."_

A clip of Ozpin began to play. Cinder watched with disgust.

" _This is a huge honor and I know I have big shoes to fill, but I assure you I will do everything in my power to help raise the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses to be the best."_

Cinder rolled her eyes. The reporter appeared again on the screen.

" _In other news, the Achieve Men's very own Ray has departed from the beloved boy band. Countless teens and preteens are in shock as he announced that he will be pursing his own project. But sources say that Ray left the Achieve Men on good terms. Many speculate that famed rap star, Dooley Noted, who the band has collaborated previously in the past, may be joining the boy band."_

Cinder wanted to hurl, _boy bands? Pfft._

" _And in more music news, the band, Sex Swing has gotten back together for a reunion tour around Remnant. The band, consisting of 'Tommy Steale', 'Jamez Ripher', 'Tha Schling', 'Spunkie Bruester', and 'Max Kochram', had been broken up for almost five years. Best known for their album, "Funhaus", they are veterans of an older era. When asked about their comeback tour, 'Tommy Steale' had this to say, "I CAN'T FEEL MY FACE, MAN! Wot? Comeback tour? We're doing that? … Of course we're doing a comeback tour. Gonna be better than those Achieve Men or whatever. SEX SWING FOR LIFE, MATE!"_

Cinder chuckled at the drug addled rock star.

" _Research shows that popular soup brand, 'Dude Soup' is actually not healthy and is in fact quite deadly. Their special ingredient of 'manliness'_ _is actually Dust. Dust is extremely hazardous to consume."_

Cinder wanted throw her hands up in exasperation. Dust _wasn't_ poisonous. They were worried that there was an off chance that the Dust might actually fuse with someone. It was not unheard of people without aura and wielding Dust. If they were skilled enough, they could probably take on a low level huntsman.

" _In more serious news, the elusive killer, "Mister Diddlez" is still at large. Despite the name, the police urge the public to keep their distance and call the police. He has claimed over fifty victims, thirty of which were children."_

Cinder recoiled in disgust. If she even sees the bastard…

" _The production company, ScrewAttack, has announced a new series called 'Death Battle' in which competing huntsmen and huntresses fight to claim victory, fame, and a large cash prize."_

Cinder hated that. It was clearly propaganda marketed toward the youth to ' _inspire'_ them to become huntsmen and huntresses. It was disgusting and deplorable. If she didn't meet Ruby, she would have been brainwashed by this ' _show'_ to become a huntress. Huntsmen and huntresses were always painted in the most positive light, being portrayed as ' _heroes'_ when really they were nothing more than glorified mercenaries. And the public eats it up, with the most arrogant huntsmen being arguably the most famous.

" _The show hopes to compete with the Vytal Festival. Can they top last year's 36_ _th_ _Vytal Festival?_ _"_

 _Oh god,_ more huntsmen propaganda. The festival is designed to appeal to the dumb public and show ' _it's cool to be a huntsmen'._ It's also pretending there is no tension between the kingdoms, and to show how ' _united'_ they are. The reporter paused as if he was being told something. _This should be interesting._

" _This just in!"_ The reporter said in a loud voice.

" _The leader of the White Fang has just been murdered!"_

 _Oh fuck. FUCK._ No no no no. This was bad. If he says what she is thinking…

"… will be missed. The leadership of the White Fang has been claimed by..."

 _No! FUCK!_ She knew what this meant. It was obvious what happened. Faunus unrest has been steadily growing, with the White Fang losing support every passing moment. It was ripe for a takeover. She was hoping to manipulate Lopez, a wolf faunus who was infamous for his role in the Faunus Rights Revolution, into becoming the new leader of the White Fang. He would be a puppet led on by a set of strings and that would have been part one of her plan… but that was no longer happening.

 _FUCK!_ This changes things, a lot of things. There was no way she could use the White Fang now. _Shit._

" _He has announced his intentions for the new White Fang. They have declared war on humanity. Quoting him, 'We have been abused and tortured for too long. So it is time for my fellow faunus to rise up. And strike down our oppressors.'"_

 _Definitely_ can't use them now. She turned off the television. She needed to think! _WHAT THE FUCK WAS SHE SUPPOSE_ _D_ _TO DO NOW?!_

She already lost her base of operations and now part one of her ' _grand'_ plan was in tatters! She took a deep breath, _she had to remain in control._

How can she benefit from this chaos? _Use the chaos as a smoke screen of course._ She was going to remove a few pieces off the board a bit earlier than usual, and what better way to cover it up than blame it on the White Fang? She took a deep breath, if she couldn't use the White Fang then she shall use their name to cover up her actions.

So she had to reevaluate her priorities. _Number one, Ruby. Number two, Lopez was no longer an option, leave him to rot._ She nearly smacked herself when she realized she wasted all of her lien finding him. _Number three, the heist was coming up. She needed a source of lien to fund herself. Number four, plan her next step._

That was sufficient enough for now. She turned on the TV again, to see if there was any more relevant information.

" _We are live at the Schnee's family manor, where they are hosting a fundraiser to help with the relief effort in Vale after the 'Kingsmen riots'. Despite the attack on the manor just a few days ago, spirits are high. Look there is the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company himself, 'Mister Schnee!'"_

The CEO was in the middle of the crowd when suddenly. _BOOM!_ A massive explosion occurred, sending everyone flying. Then faunus wearing the White Fang insignia began filling the screen shooting the crowd. Then a blank screen saying ' _Technical Difficulties'_ appeared on the screen.

Remnant really was a shit hole. She sat on the bed contemplating her actions.

" _We apologize for the… technical difficulties."_ The smug reporter seemed concerned, probably for his fellow colleague.

" _In… other news, the huntsman, Qrow Branwen..."_ Cinder perked up. _Wait who?_ That name sounded familiar, Ruby told her the name of her uncle, _could it be?_

" _Who is now offering a cash reward to anyone who can help locate his nieces, Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long." No no no no no! Ruby was her daughter now._

 _HE WON'T TAKE HER AWAY._ She looked at Ruby worriedly. For whatever reason, people feel a connection to someone they are related to by blood.

Would Ruby go back to her uncle? She knew the answer was probably no, but she wouldn't take the chance. Ruby began to stir and she immediately turned off the channel.

 _She wouldn't take that chance._

* * *

 **Edited/Beta'd by Spartacus400. Next chapter: Snow White**


	3. Snow White

Chapter 3: Snow White

* * *

A series of tragedies that led to the dark beginning.

 _Once upon a time in a cold, cold land there was a little girl._

 _Unsure of the path that lies before her._

 _A path of loneliness, strife, and conflict._

 _Yet it is a necessary path, one that might even save the world._

 _An unfortunate series of events send her down that road._

 _A violent and bloody road full of loss that she must travel._

 _Yet tragedy strikes soon than she thinks._

 _And her journey down that darken road truly begins._

* * *

" _Get up."_ A cold voice commanded her.

She followed the voice's instruction.

" _Again."_

She raised her rapier once more and faced her opponent. He easily towered over her, but she couldn't be deterred. She _wouldn't_ be deterred. There were no other options but to win. She circled her opponent, looking for an opening.

Unlike her, her opponent was not wearing any protective fencing gear. No, he had _aura_ and was beyond petty protective gear _._ She needed to unlock her aura still. Every day was a constant reminder that she was _weak_ because she didn't yet possess it. Her father made sure that she knew that fact every single day.

No matter how much she studied or trained, _it wouldn't be enough until she has unlocked it._ No matter how smart or how skilled she became, she was worth _nothing_ without it _._ She made her first strike. She rushed forward and tried jabbing her rapier toward the man's chest. She was too slow and hit nothing. The man slashed toward the girl. She barely managed to deflect the attack with her rapier. He was _better_ than her. He had aura! He had a semblance! He had combat training! He was a reserve huntsman and had all the skills of an actual huntsman.

The man was unleashing a flurry of strikes now. Several of the strikes struck her chest before he kicked her to the ground. She had to be better than him! She got up again and looked for an opening. There were several openings, but she knew that he left those openings open, he was fast enough to block them. She couldn't take the easy way out.

She charged the man head on. The man swung his rapier at hers. Her rapier went flying through the air before he kicked her back onto the ground. _Clank!_ Her rapier landed a few feet away from her. She crawled her way back to the rapier.

It was _pathetic._ How was she supposed to be a reserve huntress if she was so _weak_?! This training was supposed to help her unlock her aura, not remind her how weak she was without it. She gripped her rapier and got up again. She was exhausted as she had been training for nearly an hour and she had yet to even come _close_ to hitting him _._ It was absolutely infuriating. Every day she thinks she's getting better only for him to dash those hopes. She adopted an offensive stance and slowly inched toward him. She knew so many fencing techniques yet they did not help.

There was a gap between the two, caused by age and experience. Her lack of aura only widens the gap. She held out rapier in front of her, poised to strike. She swung her rapier toward his face. He blocked it and delivered a kick. She manage to duck under it and lunged forward to strike. He ducked and caught her with an uppercut, launching her into the air. She landed with a thud. She knew she would never beat him. The most she could try and do is perhaps hit him.

She groaned quietly as she staggered back up. People with aura are naturally faster and stronger than those who lack it. When combined with a training regimen, they become a formidable force. She needed to be smart about this, try and throw him off. She lunged at him again. Feinting to the left, she put all her strength into her hit. The man did not fall for her bluff and blocked her assault effortlessly. She was pushed back and nearly fell to the floor again.

He was nothing, and she was a _Schnee._ She should be better than this bastard. She ran up to him and swung her rapier at his head. He ducked and moved to uppercut her again. She narrowly dodged his fist and managed to kick his weapon out of his free hand. She then tried jabbing her rapier toward his side but he grabbed her weapon mid-strike. He ripped the weapon out of her hands and began punching her. She tried blocking but his punches broke right through her defenses.

He began with a strong punch to the gut that knocked the wind out of her. As she grabbed her stomach in pain, he swung with a right hook toward her face. Her fencing mask flung off her face before he finished her off with a roundhouse kick that brought her to the floor again. She was struggling to get up this time.

"Enough," an icy voice commanded to the both of them. The man looked to the source of the voice and gave a small bow.

"This session is over, Mr. Sabre. You are dismissed." Sabre gave an insincere bow and left the room to leave on his airship. She manage to stand back onto her feet and looked up. All she saw was her father's disappointed face. He didn't have to say anything, but she knew what he was thinking. She was weak, a failure, _a disgrace._ She was suppose to be strong. She was a _Schnee._ She was expected to be the best, yet she failed… why does she have to do this?

"I expect you to correct your failings the next time I see you _or…_ " A brief pause to let it sink in. "Yes, father." She assured him… and herself.

Her father gave her a small look before he left, leaving her all alone with her thoughts. She rarely saw her father, and when she did, it was never pleasant. For once, she would like to make him proud. She knew the horrible situation he was in.

It had been going on for generations. Her lineage was a strong and noble one, they were strong leaders, worthy of all the family name. But with that power came jealousy and violence, no matter how that power was used. Her grandfather was the one who founded the company in the later half of his life. Yet, the first half of his life was one of conflict. He was a huntsman that partook in _war._ A revolution to some _degenerates,_ but it was _war._

Her father may be a CEO first and reserve huntsman second, but he told her that a war is still being waged. According to father, it was a war not fought openly, but in secret. And that radicals from the war that sabotaged and fought against them while the same animals from the war preach peace and unity as ' _The White Fang'._ And thus, all stigma from the radicals is erased and forgotten. When he first told her that, she didn't believe it.

She thought it was just a reason for her to train harder, _but she just wanted to make him proud._ But then the funerals started. Family members gone forever, her growing lonelier as months passed by. And it wasn't just family, her _only_ friend was gone forever. Reality had hit the little girl after that. She understood why father was always stressed out… and why he pushed her so hard. If she was weak, she would die like… _them._

He didn't want to lose her too, but it still frustrated her that power still escaped her. Schnee's were known as strong aura users, yet she still hasn't unlocked it. She knew that aura was typically unlocked at age twelve, but that doesn't matter, _she was told to be better than that._ A Schnee was supposed to be a beacon of perfection and strength, a light in a dark world to lead others. The company she was supposed to inherit was just that.

It was one of the most important companies in the world. It was the largest supplier of Dust, a product that can raise armies, strike down foes, and power entire kingdoms. And she was going to inherit that company, eventually. Yet she wasn't ready for that immense responsibility. She was young… and weak. Yet this is why she is being trained.

People with aura were above those who did not have aura. But with aura came mandatory training. Combat schools were formed to train those who have an unlocked aura, whether they wanted to or not. Some may join the schools without an aura to try and unlock it, and if two years go by without it unlocking, they are deemed unfit for the lifestyle. They wouldn't even be considered for something as low as the military or police. She wouldn't ever stoop to that level because that would be a betrayal of everything that she had been taught.

She had to unlock it before entering the academy. Having an aura guarantees entry, yet some try and avoid enrolling even though _it is inevitable._ Frankly, they should be grateful for such power. And if they were strong enough to have a semblance then they moved onto a secondary academy. The ones who couldn't have a semblance weren't allowed to move up and were 'incompletes _'_ who either were slinking cowards that went for a _normal_ life or actually did something with their aura by joining the military or the police.

But neither option applied to her. She was supposed to be better than that. If, no… _when_ she gets her aura, she would be expected to start working towards finding her semblance. She was training to be a reserve huntress. It may not be as prestigious a title as an actual huntress, but it was very well regarded nevertheless.

Most students at secondary combat schools ended up becoming full huntsmen; being in reserve was rare and subtly discouraged, but those in reserve would be free to pursue their own careers. Though, they would still be expected to help out during times of crisis. Training to be a reserve huntress and preparing to inherit her father's legacy is all she has, _alone_ with those responsibilities. Those animals took her relatives away… _but…_ _was that… even the case?_

After that, father had brought the family into seclusion. They seldom left the household, save for him. He told them they weren't safe to leave, or they might end up like _them._ Sister hated the isolation, growing paranoid that father was lying. The others are gone forever, but she never even saw those animals in person…. Was it possible they were just a fabrication to motivate her? She pushed that thought out, father wouldn't like any doubts or hesitation. Mother… would tell her everything would be alright. But the rest of her family left her.

Mother had left long ago, leaving her nothing but memories. It wasn't all bad, she still saw her… a few times throughout the year, but there is always an air of remorse when they meet. Tomorrow was the day she was going to visit. She as always both happy and worried on those two days. It was one of the few days when she didn't have to study or train. She could actually smile and be with her family. Yet the pressure of her duty is always there.

Still, she admits it is… rather nice to spend time with her mother and sister. She never understood why mother left but what she does understand is that her older sister wanted nothing to do with the war or the company, opting instead to train to become an _actual_ huntress. Father was _furious_ when her sister told them her intention. She was throwing away everything, her noble position as heiress, the power, the training, the wealth, _the family name._

Sister was going back to mother's so she could purse that goal. Sister wanted her to leave with her, but she couldn't. Deep down, she wanted to come with her too, but she became heiress after that. She had a responsibility to uphold. And she _has_ to uphold it.

* * *

She watched the storm of white rage on through the window of the airship. Mother lived far away from home, and with the passing storm, father had her take an airship there. She was… _giddy_ to say the least. Another five minutes and she'd be there. A day to be free, a day to spend time with her family… minus father of course. Her duties took up most of her time and made her cherish these rare days. There would be no snow day for them, but that didn't matter.

She enjoyed them for the company. For every single day of the year, she is alone. Not physically, but nobody actually _talks_ to her. Tutors were just that, _teachers and nothing else_. And the servants… they were little more filled space, _pretending that everything was okay._ Father was always the only one who even _remotely_ tries not to be like them, but even then, his burdens are too much… and it only makes it worse. She shook her head, today was her one day to be happy.

 _BEEP! BEEP!_ The small airship began flashing red. Something was wrong. Then the airship began shaking. Something was _very_ wrong.

" _What's going on!?"_ She shouted to the pilot.

"Something's wrong with the engine!" He shouted back.

She was scared, _worried._ Nothing like this had ever happened before. She clenched her fists and tried not to panic.

 _BOOM!_

There was an explosion coming from the front of the airship while the pilot shouted loudly. Then the airship began to plummet. She began panicking and gripped the armrests of her seat and braced for impact.

 _CRASH!_

Her whole world went black. She awoke with a throbbing pain in her head… and upside down. She didn't know how long she'd been out, but she had to get out, she knew that much. She tried to scream for help but her voice was hoarse. She had to get help… _the pilot!_ She struggled to undo the seatbelt, panic rising in her.

 _THUD!_

She fell on her side when the bond was undone. She groaned in pain but managed to crawl her way to the cockpit, where a horrifying sight awaited her. She saw _it._ The tainted smell of decay and burnt flesh. The pilot's face was practically non-existent, flesh was hanging off the pilot's face. She looked away and desperately crawled away from the cockpit.

 _Oh god, oh god,_ she felt sick to her stomach. She started vomiting all over the floor. _Oh god._ The gravity of the situation had hit the girl hard. She started crying, _was she going to die here?_ She went into the fetal position and began hyperventilating. She had to be in control. She laid there for several moments, taking deep breaths and trying to remain calm. She was a _Schnee._ She should be better than this. She got up to her knees and continued to take deep breaths.

She pushed the thoughts of the pilot far away, she had to plan her next course of action. She tried opening the hatch in the back, but it was jammed. The best she could do was wait here. It was the only option she had left. Someone would surely notice that the ship went down. And it would be insane to go out into the freezing blizzard when she could wait here where it was warm. She went back to the fetal position.

She hated feeling helpless, yet this was all she could do. Will she ever see her family again? What would happen if she di… what will happen if no one finds her? She was suppose to be better than this. She should be calm, cool, and collected. She focused on that single thought, that she was a _Schnee_ and she should not be filled with such weakness. She grew calmer as time went by _, as she denied the reality of the situation._ Every second was filled with the lie that it would be over soon or that someone will come on by. Her stomach began growling and broke the illusion that nothing was wrong. _Everything was wrong._

She was going to _die! Alone! She was a failure._ A disgrace. She couldn't survive this. Her entire family was going to be heartbroken by this. She failed them on every level. She would break mother's heart. Her sister would never have someone to play with. Father… it would send him into a rage of despair. _She wanted nothing more than to have the strength to pull through this…_ but she can't. She started crying as she knew that she wasn't going to be saved. She was going to end up like the pilot. She started hearing howls in the distance. And she began crying even harder.

She knew that negativity attracted _Grimm._ Huntsmen, reserve huntsmen included, were suppose to be fearless, was she unworthy of becoming either of them? All of her life she was taught to be strong. Yet when it came down to it, _she was weak._ She couldn't unlock her aura, she couldn't keep calm, and she was a disappointment. She was going to die _alone_ and as a _failure._ She broke down, bawling her eyes out. She was raised to be strong, yet deep down she always felt _weak._ It was a betrayal to everything that she stood for. _She should be better than this._

She always seemed to be missing that spark, _that drive._ Her sister had the drive to become a huntress, her father had the drive to ensure that his family was strong enough to survive, _to lead._ Even mother had the drive to do anything to keep them happy. But _her? She had no drive._ No real reason. She trained because her father wanted her to.

She studied because it was expected of her. _She never asked for it._ Yet she pushed on through because it was a responsibility passed down to her. She couldn't rejected it, but she didn't ever truly embrace it, either. She wanted to pretend that everything she was being prepared for was _her own_ , but it wasn't. It was only because it was expected of her.

And yet, when it came down to it, she didn't want it. She never had a real reason, _it was never her_. It was always what she was expected to be. Whenever she was in the company of others, _she was expected to be perfect and strong._ But right now, _her first time utterly alone,_ she truly knew she _isn't perfect_. _That she isn't strong._

 _CREAK!_

The hatch toward the back began to tear open. She buried her head into her knees and waited for the inevitable.

* * *

Trudging through the snow storm was not expected. She was out hunting when the storm hit, at least she was covered in head from toes in layers of clothes. Life on the rural parts of the kingdom was not ideal. She lived in what she called the ' _in-between'._ The harsh cold wilderness that filled in the void between the nice cleaner _upper-class_ parts of the kingdom.

Faunus like her, while not outright banned from there, were more or less… made to live on the edge of society, but _her,_ she chose to live in the outright wilderness. Most options for faunus were limited. Hard, backbreaking, and dangerous labor for cheap pay.

After the _incident_ … she wasn't going to work in the mines. Not just for the grossly poor work conditions… it was because it brought too much heartbreak to even think about it. So she went out into the wilderness and made a tiny cabin. Completely self-sufficient. She hunted for most of her food and bought supplies by selling the skins to nearby settlements on the edge of the kingdom.

Most settlements outside kingdoms tended to fail because a group of people ended up as more trouble than it's worth. Doubt and negativity would amplify ten fold and end up attracting huge amounts of Grimm. But if it was just her, she wouldn't attract large hordes of Grimm. If she did attract any, their numbers would be small and weak.

She was no huntress but she had _aura._ Not skilled enough to be a huntress but experienced enough to survive. Having aura was a dangerous secret. She wasn't picked up when she was young and that had dire consequences. She was way past the age to unlock her semblance, which meant she would never become a huntress or even one in reserve… not that she wanted to. She would never be a huntress even if she did have a semblance, and being in reserve was mostly for rich spoiled kids with aura and semblance who didn't want the life of a huntsman, but wanted the fame of the title.

Which was despicable in and of itself. At the very least huntsmen provided much needed services with their skills. Even if she wanted to be a huntress, she was too old to enroll into any academy, which meant that she would most likely be forcibly _encouraged_ to join the police force or the military or… _worse_. Of course public perception wasn't focused on _that…_ it was focused on the glamor and glitz of being huntsmen. But the stories she heard of what some of the huntsmen did during the revolution were _horrifying._ Only a few were alive to tell the tale, and most didn't believe it. The ones who did were like her, _scared_ and _distrusting._

There was only one who… believed it and didn't let it bring her down. As she… _used_ to say, 'a few bad apples doesn't spoil the bunch'. She wanted to believe those words _so_ much, but… after the incident and the revelations that followed suit… she fled out here into the damn cold _alone_. She pushed through the storm, her vision nearly obscured. Yet that didn't matter, she could navigate through the storms much easier than humans ever would. She couldn't describe the feeling, but she could just _feel_ where she needed to go.

Too often some poor sap would wander into the wilderness and die, but she knew the area like the back of her hand. She knew the safe paths to take and the more questionable paths to avoid. _Then she felt it._ Her _other_ ears twitched underneath her beanie. Something was off, something that wasn't supposed to be here. She slowly approached where she felt the disturbance, ready for anything. As she got closer, she saw it was a crashed airship.

It was small and looked like it was designed to carry a handful of passengers. Airships like these were typically reserved for the rich. But something was wrong, airships seldom crashed. _Poor bastards._ She briefly considered to leave the airship, but… she couldn't. Someone might be in there, _desperately calling for help._

She didn't want to be like _them._ She went up to the downed airship and noticed that it was flipped. The ship as a whole was largely intact, save for the cockpit. She heard soft crying coming from inside the ship, _it_ _sounded like a young girl._ Now she had to act. She tried opening the hatch on the back, but it was pretty well jammed.

She cursed at her luck. She didn't use her aura unless she _absolutely_ had to. She summoned her aura and channeled it into her arms. With renewed energy, she forced the hatch wide open. She found a small little girl with white hair sobbing into her knees. She was dressed extravagantly in clean and better clothes than she would ever have. She was expecting someone to be upper-class in the ship, but not a little girl.

"Uh… are you alright?" She called out to the crying girl.

The girl shot up quickly exclaiming, " _Oh thank god!"_

She ran up and hugged her savor. After a solid second, the girl quickly let go and brushed herself, embarrassed of the act.

"How long have you been here?" She asked.

" _I don't know but it's been too long."_ The girl, voice cracking slightly.

"Are you alright? Is there anyone else here?" She asked the girl. The girl looked down.

" _No."_ She said barely audible. She looked toward the cockpit, _the pilot didn't make it._ She sighed quietly. _What to do… what to do._

She couldn't just leave the girl here, _obviously._ The best she could do is take the girl back to her cabin and wait for the storm to blow over. They were only a couple minutes away from her cabin, and they couldn't stay here in the cold.

"What's your name?"

"Weiss… It's Weiss. Yours?" The girl said slowly. The name seemed familiar, but that didn't pertain to the current situation.

"Gale. But listen Weiss, it's going to be okay." She paused, seeing the girl ease up.

"But we need to move, I've got a cabin a few minutes away. You can wait there until the storm blows over and then I'll take you to town." The girl seemed nervous and unsure before slowly nodding. She went to pick up Weiss before the girl shrieked in shock.

" _What are you doing?"_ She demanded.

"Uh, carrying you?" Gale responded.

"I don't need to be carried!" Weiss exclaimed.

"Well, you're not exactly outfitted for the snow."

"I can do it myself." The girl seemed unsure when she said that.

"Well, when you freeze to death it won't be my problem." Weiss gave an angry huff. The girl was certainly stubborn. Gale sighed loudly before taking off her first overcoat.

"Here." She offered the girl the coat. Weiss stared at the coat.

"I… I don't need it."

" _Will you stop being so damn stubborn and take the damn thing."_ She said annoyed.

"But..."

"No buts. Just take it. _It's fine_." She said reassuringly. Weiss grabbed the coat and put it on. Gale offered her hand and Weiss grabbed it slowly before they headed out into the cold.

* * *

Weiss entered the cabin with Gale, _her savior._ She looked around the cabin, _plain_ and _small._ It was different from what she was used to. Even mother's household was larger than this. "Make yourself at home." Gale said before walking past her and went into another room. Weiss sat down at the table near the window. It was _quaint_ , to say the least.

Still, Weiss felt at ease. Although, she felt a little guilty taking the coat. Although it was insane to refuse the coat, she should have just shrugged off the cold. _No._ The more she thought about it, _the more it made sense._ She could see why her sister left, why mother left. Maybe it was to be free. She knew the reasons why her father did the things that he did, _but…_ did she agree with them? She always followed them without reservation, but did she _want_ to follow them? Sister certainly didn't, opting for a different path.

What about her? Did she really want to be an heiress? Maybe she could run away. She was confused on what to think. With her visits to mother and sister, they seem calm and happier than she would ever be. On those handful of days with them, she was happier than the rest of the year. _There was something wrong with that._

Because all year, it was training and studying. There was always a tiny, wiggling doubt in her head. Sister always told her that her is a place with them. Perhaps… she should. She never really understood why it _has_ to be her. She understood why father pushed her harder and harder, _but why her?_ Sister was like her once, diligent _and unquestioning._ Yet something changed for her sister… was this her changing too?

Father always said that there was a war… yet… she never saw any _real_ evidence. She did believe him when he first told her… when she was grief-stricken over the losses. But sister proclaims he _lies_ and _manipulates._ She defended him… but is there truth to her sister's words? Do those anim… faunus… really hate the Schnee family?

Father certainly seemed to think so. Mother was always neutral to those topics, but… she had always taught that hate is always misplaced, and that a simple act of kindness can work miracles.. Father would disagree with that, proclaiming that strength is needed in this world, _not kindness._ She was frustrated with the conflicting ideals. _Why was doubt flooding her mind now?_ Maybe… it's because there was no longer any pressure to be something she is not… for now.

She got up and started pacing. What was she to do once she returned? Go back and pretend nothing happened? Go back underneath that pressure to be something she doesn't want nor understand? She had to talk to mother… she always brought clarity. She stopped pacing and sighed loudly.

"Something wrong?" Gale called out from the other room.

"Nothing's wrong!" Weiss said a little more loudly than she intended.

" _If you say so."_

Weiss glanced around the room out of boredom. She spied a single frame hung on the wall. Weiss approached it slowly. There was a small caption on the frame.

 _'Gale Soot and Zephyr Asepsis, together forever'._ Weiss felt nervous as she looked upon the photo. The photo portrayed a happy scene with two young women. One had black hair with white streaks and piercing dark gray eyes. And another with platinum blonde hair and milky light blue eyes. They were laughing together. Yet the one thing that worried her… was their ears… their _animal ears._ Both had white fox ears… they were _faunus._ Echoes of father's angry words raged throughout her head. She inhaled.

' _Animals! Every single one of them!'_

' _Can't be trusted!'_

Memories of a kind mother telling her hatred isn't healthy. She exhaled. Gale had done nothing to harm her. _Maybe father lied._ It always hurt to think back on those no longer here… but sister's proclamations of father's lies rang in her ear. She was going to continue cautiously. She had to think this out through logically.

Father may have prided Schnee's on being strong, but he also prided on them being level-headed. Acting rash would get her nowhere. Gale saved her… she wasn't bad… right? She heard a door creak open and out stepped Gale, no longer completely covered in snow gear. She was practically the same dark haired woman in the photo albeit older. Her eyes drifted toward Gale's fox ears.

"You know it's rude to stare, right?"

" _Oh!_ Oh… um sorry… It's just… I haven't…" Weiss stuttered out.

"No, no… it's fine. I understand. ' _Haven't seen one up close,_ _blah blah blah'._ It's fine, I don't expect the rich to have actually seen a faunus up close." That was the entire kingdom in a nutshell. Secluded humans in their fancy metropolises and faunus down below.

"Happens more than you think. So how you holding up?" Gale asked.

"Fine… I guess." Weiss replied.

"You guess? … You're not hurt from the crash are you? Because I got-"

"It's not that… it's something else." Weiss debated if she should even tell Gale. They had just met… but… she never really had any _real_ conversation with someone outside her family.

But Gale has done nothing but help her… perhaps… she _can_ trust her, faunus or no. Father _was_ wrong.

"It's… difficult to explain." Weiss started.

"All ears."

"You see… I have a responsibility, a _huge_ responsibility." Gale seemed intrigued.

"I'm… the heiress to the _Schnee-_ " Gale's face hardened. "-Dust Company. And… _I can't take it anymore."_

* * *

Gale froze when Weiss _Schnee_ told her that. Her opinion of the girl radically changed, so much so she needed to think calm thoughts before she does something rash.

"Uh… I… um. _Hm._ That's a hard one. I need time to think." Weiss gave her a strange look before giving a small nod. "I understand." Gale got up and went back into her room. She closed the door and began hyperventilating. Dozens of dark thoughts filled her head.

 _An eye for an eye._ That was what she was taught… but… _she swore to be better._ She thought she was making strides toward that promise. She helped Weiss, _a human,_ … but that was before she knew who she was. _What was she suppose to do?!_ She wanted to yell out in frustration.

She wanted help… she wanted Zephyr to guide her. She wanted to hear her words again… she wanted Zephyr to tell her that she should forgive and that Weiss had nothing to do with it. But all of her thoughts about the girl were just filled with _hate._ The _Schnees_ took her away. She would never see Zephyr's smile again… she wanted to honor her.

 _But she couldn't._ Ever since her passing, she _tried_ and _tried_ to be like her. Zephyr was what grounded her, she was her everything and her better half. Zephyr, a member of the White Fang, _preaching tolerance and equality._ Her? A rambling angry radical. Yet… her first instinct after her passing, _was to kill them all._ But when they were together, she swore off violence and broke all contact with her more… radical acquaintances. That was a long time ago. She no longer vandalized racist's homes nor beat them to a bloody pulp.

Every day was a battle to hurt those who take pleasure in tormenting faunus. It was in a way, _a war._ It was kinda fruitless now that she looked back on it. Every single victory was small, while… the _Schnee_ Dust Company continues a perpetual cycle of abuse and hate on a bigger scale. Gale and her friends were going to shift their focus on making _them_ pay, but… she left and they continued their vendetta. Zephyr was proud of her when she broke contact with them… because they just kept on escalating, _both sides._ It was idyllic for awhile.

Until Zephyr thought it would be a good idea to try and change the _Schnee_ Dust Company from the inside. She never understood why Zephyr decided to work at those _damn_ mines, but she took the job with gusto. Until… the incident.

 _Three_ whole _fucking_ months. She disappeared for three fucking months… and not just her… but several other faunus working in the mines. And they did _nothing._ They told her _nothing. Hell, they didn't even tell her where the mines were!_ For _three_ whole months. She raised hell trying to find her. When she found the mines, she found them collapsed. Anyone without aura would have trouble digging through with their bare hands, but her?

She pushed through until her aura's protective covering ceased and while her strength was still there, her hands were bruised and bleeding. It was a fucking _hideous_ sight that she came across. Dead and decaying bodies thrown about. There was even signs of cannibalism… but none of the poor bastards made it, _not even Zephyr._ She didn't want to believe it, but… plain as day.

She gave those poor souls a proper burial. She thought it was just _criminal_ neglect, but life isn't that kind… the truth was much, much worse. It was _fucking_ sabotage! There were some explosives planted near the entrance of the mine. They were broken but it doesn't take a genius to find out the intention behind them. They weren't even the sticks of dynamite used for mining, they were professional and guess who fucking made them? She felt sick to her stomach knowing that they killed her. She tracked down the foreman that oversaw the mines.

She thought it was just a racist boss… but the truth was even shittier than that. After a whole day of interrogation, he gave in. The order to blow the mines came from high up. And the only ones who could even authorize that was a _Schnee._ At that moment, she wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, but others had tried and failed.

Her radical friends had been all but wiped out, but the war still raged on. Some vandalized, some murdered workers and friends of the company. Some even managed to kill some _Schnees_ themselves. It had gotten to the point where the big bad _CEO_ withdrew his family into isolation around the time his second daughter was born.

And the CEO himself was the only one who made _any_ public appearances, and given his status as a reserve huntsman, they stayed far away from him. That happened years ago, but it still continues to this day. She so, so wanted to join in… but that wouldn't honor her. So she tried living a peaceful life away from all the violence, and for awhile it worked. But now? _Weiss Schnee,_ heiress to the bastard company herself was in the palm of her hand.

She wanted to strangle the girl, teach them a lesson! She wanted the ' _big man'_ himself cradle a dying loved one in _his_ arms. She hated herself for those thoughts, but _people don't change._ No matter how much she or Zephyr tried to believe, _people don't change._ She herself couldn't change, so why should Weiss change.

She isn't a child, she's a _bastard Schnee._ Weiss may be showing some doubt now, but she'll revert back into the monster that _they_ are. She took a deep breath. She could strike a devastating blow to those _bastards. It doesn't matter what happens to me…_ Gale wasn't even truly living.

Day in, day out, _constantly reminded of what she lost._ She unsheathed her claws. She was one of the few lucky faunus that got the ' _good'_ genes. These claws had served her well. She probably wasn't even going to use the claws, it just helped her to stay the course, to solidify her decision.

With what she was about to do next, she'll no doubt be hunted down and killed. At the very least, she would be with Zephyr again. _Oh…_

"Forgive me, Zephyr." She muttered to the empty silence. Then she left the room.

* * *

Weiss was unnerved with the way Gale entered the room. It was as if she was consumed with an intense fury. _Was she wrong to tell Gale that?_ Her eyes wandered to Gale's hands. In place of her nails, were long claws, ready to strike. Weiss tensed up… _maybe father was right._ Weiss was a fool to trust this faunus. Father warned them… and yet she gave in to her doubts. _She was growing more and more scared._

She got out of the chair and started backing up as Gale approached closer.

"What's wrong, Weiss?" Gale asked in a nice tone, but there was a dangerous undertone to it.

"Wha… what are you doing?" Weiss asked, trying to remain calm. But in truth, she was terrified. Gale went from nice and friendly to downright menacing.

"I'll make it quick and painless. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

 _Oh shit!_ Weiss turned around in a frenzy to scramble out of the cabin. Gale rushed forward and manage to put her in a headlock. She squeezed the air out of Weiss. Weiss couldn't breath! She flailed helplessly as she gasped for air. She should know how to get out of this! She was taught so many ways to get out of situations like this! Yet it escaped her!

Her vision was fading and in a desperate attempt, she manage to bite Gale's arm. She bit down with all her might but it felt like she was trying to chew on metal. But she didn't stop, it was the only thing she could do.

"Just… stop… struggling! I promise… it will be quick!" Weiss stopped biting to let out a quiet plea for her to stop.

"Stop… _please!"_ Weiss prepared to chomp down, one last time. She felt her teeth shatter as she managed to bite through.

"Argh!" Gale dropped her, with a look of surprise on her face. Weiss scramble out of the door, coughing up a storm as she ran. But as soon as she escaped the cabin, Gale with inhuman speed, shot out and manage to grab her foot. Weiss fell onto the snow as Gale began to drag her back into the cabin. Weiss was now getting desperate and began kicking Gale in a frenzy to survive. She manage to kick Gale right in the stomach and Gale let go of her foot.

Yet Gale, getting more furious, lashed out with a furious slash of her claws. Striking Weiss in the face, blood splattered on the snow as Weiss collapsed back into the cold snow. Weiss cried out as pain shot forth from her face. Gale was saying something, but she ignored her _lying_ words. Several streaks of hot searing pain pulsated across the left side of her face.

Alongside the pain came the horrible realization that she couldn't see out of her left eye. She was always discontent with father trying to make sure she was strong and powerful, so she was ready. Mother and sister, despite their good intentions, filled her with _doubt._ Doubt that led her to trusting an animal, and she was going to _die_ because of that.

Facing immediate death, she was consumed with a cold fury. Everything up to this point in her life was preparing her for _this_ moment. To prove that she is _strong_ enough to survive. As the cold fury enveloped her body and mind, it started taking a more tangible form. It began to seep out from inside her body to outside. The pain in the left part of her face began to fade, replaced by a cold, numb sensation. She slowly rose to her feet, eyes ablaze with hatred.

She briefly radiated a white glow. Gale, _the traitor,_ seemed almost worried now. Weiss knew deep within her bones that her aura was unlocked. It was a new sensation that she could describe as feeling _powerful…_ like she could take on the world. But she'd take on this _back-stabbing animal!_ She knew aura could be channeled into her punches and kicks… but she had no experience, she instead let the cold angry feeling envelop her.

Gale adopted an aggressive stance that resembled a predator on a prowl, ready to lunge at her. There was a brief moment of uneasy tension between the two before Gale charged forward. Gale let out a wide swing which Weiss was easily able to duck over. They were on equal footing now… and Gale did not have the teachings nor the techniques Weiss had.

Weiss struck Gale in the ribs with all her might.

 _CRACK!_ Immediately her entire arm lost all feeling and became paralyzed. The price was worth it, as she could tell that she struck so hard that Gale's aura shielding broke along with her ribs. Gale fell onto her right knee and began gasping in pain.

With her non-paralyzed arm, she gave one final punch with all her strength to Gale's face. Gale crumpled onto the snow and Weiss could no longer move or feel her arms anymore. Despite the numb pain and lack of feeling in her arms, Weiss was ecstatic, relishing the adrenaline from the fight. It was as if her heart was beating for the first time ever. A cold heart that now had life coursing through it. She felt as if she could take on the world.

She felt the snow beat down on her harder, marking her skin with frost. Her aura didn't protect her from the cold. But that didn't matter, she didn't need to sit around and wait to be rescued. She was _strong._ She would find her way home, even in this snow storm. Clearly she couldn't stay here, she looked upon the defeated body of her _betrayer._

Gale wasn't worth her time nor attention. She was _weak, worthless._ This animal didn't deserve a _noble_ death, she deserved to stew in this _pathetic_ life for the rest of her days. Weiss spat on her body before heading into the great haze of white to find her way home.

* * *

It was a horrible idea. By the time the high from the fight ended, it was too late. Despite knowing aura does nothing against the cold, she went anyway. A stupid, _childish_ idea. Going out into the snow storm without proper winter wear, _truly idiotic._ And her face may have stopped bleeding, but now it felt as if part of her face was frozen.

Now she might die, even though she finally found meaning! She understood why father was always so harsh on her. She finally found her _drive,_ the reason why she trained. She finally saw what father was trying to teach her. She now knows her role, her position. She was a _Schnee_ , strong and cunning. Someone who stands above the chaotic crowd. Someone better than the rest. Someone who had to lead those who are weak-minded.

She was the heiress to the SDC, a position of power. The ones who helped humanity thrive. And the ones that will teach those animals their place. All of father's words were true. They _can't_ be trusted. Going from a perfectly civil conversation to attempted murder. Clearly they couldn't be trusted to look after themselves.

If… no… _when_ she survived this, she would train and study harder than she ever had before. She continued trudging through the harsh assault of snow. Time seemed to lose meaning after a while. She could no longer tell how long she has been walking.

She had been shivering for as long as she can remember. Her mind began to wander, unfocused and unsure. Somewhere in the back of her head, the word ' _hypothermia'_ resonated. The word brought her worry, and so she let her mind wander far away from that thought. It was really cold… her body felt stiff with each movement she took. Her breathing started slowing down as the chilly air filled her lungs. This continued for an indescribable amount of time until she began to feel hot. It was weird for the young girl. Wasn't it suppose to be cold?

She had a feeling that it had to do something with that word… what was the word again? Her vision was still engulfed in white from the raging snow. _Huh…_ she stopped shivering. Why was it hot again? She felt like she was being boiled alive. It was even more unbearable than the cold. It felt perfectly reasonable to start shedding her clothes in the cold snow storm, but something stopped her.

What was that word again? _Hypo…_ something. It meant something bad… and what she was doing right now… was bad. She was confused and tired. She wanted to take a nap. She paused her trek through the snow and looked down. All these clothes seem to make her feel hotter. Didn't she have something important to do? _Home…_ yes… home.

She clutched her chest in shock. It was as if her heart was frozen solid, she tried taking a deep breath, but she couldn't. _Argh!_ She wanted to take a deep breath but she couldn't. She wanted to punch something… then she felt tired again. The word… it was important. _Why can't she remember?!_ She was boiling alive, tired, and confused! Something was wrong… she felt sick. She wanted to feel better. She should find home and they can make her feel better. What else could make her feel better? She hated this… state of being.

She wanted to feel better. Wasn't she suppose to be strong or something? _Oh… yeah…_ she had aur… _aura…_ couldn't she heal herself or something? Does she even know how? Might as well try or something… she tried summoning that cold fury… but none came. If any did come, she couldn't feel anything with this boiling heat!

She did feel more protected though… that meant something, right? Now she just had to channel that feeling… that made sense right? She was confused and tired. She let the feeling build up inside her and fester until it felt like it was filled to the brim. Then she got knocked back onto her back after a brief implosion of white.

" _Uuuugh."_ She moaned. She received a moment of clarity.

 _Oh fuck!_ She was suffering from hypothermia. She looked at her hands. Her skin now had a pale, ghostly white tint to it. _That was probably bad, really bad._ She needed to get out of the storm _now!_ She should be close to somewhere with people, _right?_

The moment of mental clarity was fading fast and she was beginning to feel hot again. She decided her best option was to scream for help. She let out a cry for help at the top of her lungs before she collapsed into the snow. Then she saw a figure emerge from the white haze, completely covered in snow wear. For a second, she was worried that it was Gale.

But then she saw the figure's eyes. Worried, light-blue eyes. She knew who those eyes belong to, _her sister._

"W...Winter?" She called out weakly.

"Thank god that I found you, Weiss!" Winter ran up to her and cradled her in her arms.

"Are you alright?!" Weiss nodded her head. Winter looked back and shouted, "I found her!"

"H..how?" Weiss muttered.

"Fa… Dad managed to track the general area where you crashed and got a search party together. Just rest.. you'll be alright."

And so, Weiss closed her eyes.

* * *

He looked upon the sleeping form of his youngest with a small steady beeping in the background. She seemed beaten and battered. The entire left side of her face had been bandaged, a set of claw marks hidden by the white gauze.

Too small to be a Grimm and too large to be an animal, the implications were obvious to him and he was pissed. Someone had hurt his daughter! Whoever they were, _they were going to pay._ Weiss has been unconscious ever since Winter found her. Winter was very adamant on helping with the search. Given that Winter knew the general area quite well, she was invaluable in finding Weiss. The doctors assured him that Weiss would recover.

But what they couldn't tell him is why she was deathly pale. It was as if all the color had been drained from her skin. He wanted answers! He wanted to know if she was going to be alright! Was she sick? Did she get some disease? A disorder? They told him _nothing._ The only thing that they could tell her is that her aura unlocked. Normally, that would have some cause for celebration, but he didn't want her aura unlocked like _this._

And that meant dealing with _them._ Any other time he probably could handle them, but not now. He looked at Weiss, _his pride and joy,_ before leaving the room. His… _estranged…_ wife was there, clearly worried.

"Is… is Weiss going to be alright?" He nodded his head.

"Oh thank god!" She gave him a tight hug. He was hesitant to embrace the hug. While they hadn't been divorced… yet… He hates himself for letting his marriage go to ruin. Because he knew it was all his fault. He just wanted to make sure his family was _strong_ and _prepared_ for _them._ Yet in doing so, he became distant and cold with his family, only focused on business and training his daughters. His… wife proposed that they just needed some time away from each other.

He wasn't a fool, he knew what that entailed. Perhaps he deserved it after he blew up on Winter instead of supporting her decision. Should he even try and get them back? Can he _change_ for them? He wanted to _try._ Then he hugged her back.

"I… don't suppose… we can talk?" He whispered.

"I… don't know. What is there to talk about?" He hoped that maybe… he can have one more chance.

"About… us." She broke off the hug. She exhaled loudly.

"I really don't know. You know I want to. But… how do I know things have changed? I _want_ to go back. I want to see Weiss more than a handful of days. I want Weiss and Winter to be together again. I want _us_ to be together again… but I don't know. Will things even be different? I know you just want the best for us… but how you handle the training and… Winter..."

"Then _help_ me be better." His scroll began buzzing and he took it out.

"One moment." He told his wife.

" _Typical."_ She muttered. He looked away from his wife and then took the call.

"Yes?"

"Sir, you have Sturm SneBier on the line."

 _Fuck._ Sturm was the CEO of _SneBier Incorporated._ _Second_ biggest Dust company out there. Her company may have better PR… but he had better profits. The only reason why that was so because she was big on faunus equality and that helped project a friendly image. While he had more land to mine Dust, her company did not. If he had to guess why she was calling it was probably because they both were looking to expand out of Dust. He has been looking to expand his Research and Development branch of the company. Both had their eyes on a small company called _Immersion Labs,_ but naturally he was almost guaranteed to get it _._

Probably going to try and sweet talk him into giving that prospect up. That or a subtle threat. They had a projected ' _friendly'_ rivalry on the media. But it was anything but outside the media. Corporate bribery, sabotage, and espionage was abundant. It was almost like a war being waged on two fronts. And people wonder why he keeps his family isolated.

"Sir?" That broke him out of his thoughts. He looked back at his wife.

"Tell her I am busy."

"She isn't taking no for an answer." He sighed.

"Put her on." He began grinding his teeth. He doesn't want to deal with this. He might lose the one chance to get his family back. Should he get into a prolong discussion with her, fake pleasantries and all. Or should he not even bother with that. He made his choice.

"Hello..."

" _Fuck off and don't call back."_ He closed his scroll. His wife gave him a hopeful look. Almost immediately, it began buzzing again but he ignored it.

"Just… one last chance." He begged to his wife. His wife gave him a sympathetic look.

"One last chance." She repeated. He gave her a small hug.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. You still have to talk to Winter. She hasn't forgiven you yet."

* * *

Winter sat next to the hospital bed that Weiss was resting on. She couldn't believe that this was her little sister. She seemed so… damaged. She seemed so sick. Her skin was unnaturally pale… and her face… she saw it. Despite the bandages hiding them now, it horrified her that _something_ could hurt her little sister. She remembered the initial panic when Weiss didn't arrive.

Mother was so worried… and they had to call father. Father did everything to help find Weiss. It was nice to know he cared… sometimes. Right now, father and mother were talking. She slipped in to see Weiss. Weiss was breathing steadily. But from what she overheard, her aura was unlocked. She must have had a traumatic experience to have it unlocked. It horrified her, knowing something bad happened to her.

She didn't have the luxury of unlocking it through training. While it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't horrid. Deep down, she felt as this was her fault. She pushed away the position of heiress onto Weiss. Which put more pressure on Weiss to study harder and train harder. And that wasn't all. That was the straw that made mother leave father. Mother didn't want to, but she did.

 _All her fault._ At least father cared enough to let them live in the vacation home. Alone and isolated. All because she wanted to be a huntress… and hated the responsibility of running a company. She sighed quietly. Maybe things will be better. She looked at the small holographic screen projected at the wall. It was broadcasting the news.

Hopefully father will make sure this stays out of the news. But… while he kept them away from the media, _something_ might get out. The news started playing an interview with Frost SneBier about her mother's company.

Another heiress to father's ' _rival'_ company, and she was around Weiss's age. She was smiling with shining white teeth and was straightening her platinum blonde hair. She was relishing in the attention and being all happy. She embodied all the things she hated about being heiress. The attention, the pressure, and yet she does so with a smile. It made Winter sick. Who the hell likes the attention? At least father keeps Weiss away from those media _hogs._

Does nothing but add pressure to be perfect! She hated it. And she hated herself for pushing that onto Weiss. She turned the screen off just as her father entered the room.

"Winter."

"Father." There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Winter..." He started.

"Your mother and I… are going to try again."

"And?"

"Are you… okay with that?"

"I don't care." She said with a huff.

Her father sighed.

"I'm sorry for being a horrible father." He said before he left.

She was unsure what to feel about this. Can father change? Will he still allow her to be a huntress? Or force her to constantly train? She was confused on what to think. Hell, as long as her father leaves them alone, she'll take it. She hated him trying to control them, telling them how dangerous it was. The only thing that was even remotely positive about this is that she'll be with Weiss again.

She looked at Weiss. She didn't completely hate father. He did manage to help find Weiss. It's just… he takes things too far. And it's always his way or no way at all sometimes. She wished it wasn't like that. But… maybe things will be different?

She hoped things will be different. As she gazed upon her sleeping sister, she decided. She would grit her teeth and bear with father… so she won't ever have to leave Weiss again. She has to be there for her… so things like this never happened again. At that moment, Weiss's single free eye opened, revealing a lone light blue eye that stared right at her.

"Winter?" She turned to face her little sister.

"Hey, Weiss. You alright?"

"Never better." Weiss muttered. Her little sister gingerly touched the bandages covering her face.

"It hasn't healed?" She asked.

Weiss knew aura healed most wounds… but she wondering why it hasn't healed.

"It was pretty bad, the wounds got frozen and… your aura couldn't heal it. It's going to scar… and you won't be able to see out of that eye." She said slowly.

" _Good."_

 _What?_ "Wha..."

"It's going to be a reminder."

Okay, Weiss was worrying her now.

"Did you hit your head or something? Are you feeling alright?" _This wasn't Weiss, what happened to her out there?_

"Never better."

"Okay..." What happened to Weiss? What happened to the enthusiastic little sister? What happened to the girl who secretly told her she didn't want to train or study? What happened to her sister?

"Now… when do I get out? I want to start the remedial lessons for the combat academy as soon as possible. And I've got something to tell the police. _An animal has got to pay."_

* * *

There was one more thing that he had to do before they move back in. They were going to start moving their stuff soon, and so he had a limited time to operate. He was neglecting many of duties doing this, but this was more important.

They were still at the hospital, watching over Weiss. He made sure that they had guards watching _them._ Winter was still a combat student, she was still inexperienced. And his wife, was a reserve huntress. He had no doubt that she could take care of herself. Still, better safe than sorry. But he had a problem. An airship doesn't just have spontaneous engine failure. He made sure that he had access to the reports concerning this situation.

They managed to find the downed airship. According to them, there were signs of tampering with the engine. So _someone_ thought they could hurt _his_ daughter and get away with it?! He went down a mental list on who could had access to the airship.

The servants? No. They weren't allowed near them? The pilot? He's dead. The mechanic? He was a friend. Security? Unless they were all in it, he doubts it. So who?! He let out a sigh. He didn't want to, but if he had to… he'd do it. He went to the garage and looked around. Several airships filled the large garage. He went to the space where the downed airship used to be. He held out his hand and started gritting his teeth in preparation for the pain.

A large dark blue circle with the family symbol appearing in the middle. It starts rotating slowly. Then it began going faster and faster. Images began assaulting his head. The pain was growing as the circle began increasing in speed. Memories of the airship smashed into his head. Useless memories of an unused airship.

This particular one was only used for Weiss when she visited the rest of her family. Something important had to show up soon as the pain was nearly unbearable but he had to continue. Then a brief image of someone tampering with the engine came into his head. Immediately he put down his hand and the circle disappeared.

He collapsed onto his knees and took several deep breaths. He hated using that part of his semblance. That particular glyph was his least favorite to use. Having memories that were not his own forced into his head was not pleasant, but it was necessary. He now knew who tried to kill his daughter. He had a cruel smile on his face.

His trust was sacred and to break it… had violent consequences. He opened his scroll and made the call to him _, the bastard who tried killing his daughter._ Five minutes later, and he was set on meeting him. He exited the garage and waited near the entrance of his household. He entered his household.

"Mr. Schnee." He greeted with a small tone of caution in his voice.

"Mr. Sabre. I would like to discuss Weiss's next lessons. And Winter's." Sabre eased up a little.

"Mind if we discuss this in my study?"

"Sure." They walked to the study. He made sure that the thing inside his sleeve was easy to access. When they entered the study, Sabre took a look around the study.

"How is your daughter recovering?" He asked. If he didn't know better, he wouldn't have seen something was off with him.

"She's recovering just fine."

"So, Winter is moving back in? I assume you want me to train her again?" He put a hand on Sabre's shoulder.

"No, I want you _to suffer._ " From his hand, he let out a large burst of energy from Dust into Sabre. Years ago, he decided to start infusing Dust into his body, and he had become _very_ adept at using it. Sabre shriveled before him as he began to be covered in ice. The ice Dust had destroyed his aura shielding so he made his next move.

He let the dagger drop out of his sleeve and into his hand. He then stabbed Sabre in the throat. He twisted the knife into the wound as Sabre started choking and fell to the floor. The moment Sabre hit the floor, he summoned a gray glyph underneath the body. The glyph consumed the dead body and he felt even more drained, and felt like a small part of his soul detached and dissipated. He groaned loudly.

"Are you alright, Master Schnee?" One of his butlers called out. He opened the door and faced the butler.

"Ah Pennyworth. I need you to dispose of Mr. Sabre's airship."

"The usual place, sir?"

"Yes. Thank you." Pennyworth then went away to fulfill his task. He then locked the door. He held out his hand once more. A pure white glyph formed in the middle of his study and began rapidly spinning. Then a light blue mirror image of Sabre sprung out of the glyph.

" _So cold."_ The ghostly image wailed quietly.

"Silence." He commanded the specter. And the specter was silenced.

"How much _pain_ are you in?"

" _Unbearable pain._ " The ghost replied.

"Good. Now why did you try to kill my daughter? You were paid handsomely for your lessons. So why betray me? _Why my daughter?_ " He asked with hidden hurt in his voice.

" _Told to._ " Was his simple reply.

"By who?"

" _Didn't say_."

"So why did you do it?" He asked again.

" _Blackmail."_

"They had blackmail on you?"

The ghost merely nodded.

"Alright, did you ever see the blackmailer in person?"

" _Yes."_

"Details?"

" _Masks._ _Can't."_

He wanted to yell out in frustration. The summons may retain all their memories and powers but they lacked the proper mind. They couldn't even speak more than two words.

"Did you hear any names?"

" _Sturm."_ Wait… could it be? He didn't want to believe it. While they fought over business, murdering was a whole other level, mainly reserved when those radicals got out of hand. With a wave of his hand, the specter faded into oblivion. This was getting personal.

If Sturm thought she could murder _his_ daughter… oh the hell she would pay. He tolerated her company's existence because he was too preoccupied dealing with those animals… but this was personal. No one hurts his family and gets away with it. A cruel smile lit his face as he began thinking of ways to hurt Sturm and her company on every level possible.

* * *

She was drinking her sorrows away. They were searching for her. Almost three whole weeks later, she has been on the run. Typical that Weiss would tell them to hunt her down. _Fucking Schnee._ She burned down the cabin and ran. She lost her one chance to enact justice. Now the circle of abuse would continue at the SDC. She could have ended it all. She failed everyone. She took another gulp of alcohol. It wouldn't be long until they found her.

She'll probably ' _fall down the stairs'_ or be ' _found hanging from the ceiling'_ in the jail _._ Then she realized that they probably figured out she has aura, it would be even _worse._ She contemplated if she should even kill herself? Would she rather live the rest of her life on the run or be thrown in a gulag and have god knows what happens to her?

Maybe after one more drink, she'll end it… be with Zephyr again. She downed the last drink. She stumbled out of the bar. Maybe… she can jump off a building… wait… her aura would protect her from the fall. She would probably have to jump off the building several times to… finish the job. Perhaps she could go out in a blaze of glory.

She felt her stomach twist. Puking in the middle of the darkened street, she realized how low she had sunk. Even if somehow she made it into the same afterlife as Zephyr, she wouldn't accept her. She spent years trying to get over her. Pushing everyone away and isolating herself didn't help. And so she had no one and she was going to die alone.

Tears started falling into the swirl of puke. She could run away to some other kingdom. Vale was undergoing massive shifts regarding faunus. But it was unstable at best. The riots made sure of that. Besides she heard of certain radicals and the police going head to head. Mistral? _Who knows what the fuck was going with Mistral._

It was filled with unsavory characters, both human and faunus. At least they were non-discriminatory with the violence. Vacuo was probably her best choice. Living in the desert was the only _real_ option. Why should she even continue trying?! She sighed. The only reason why was because she was afraid to die… _no…_ she wanted her death to mean something.

She continued to wander down the street. She didn't care anymore. She was a failure. Life gave her an opportunity and she squandered it. She wanted a second chance. A chance to redeem herself and set things _right._

" _WELL?!"_ She drunkenly shouted out to the world. She passed out in the street after that. When she came to, she was in an interior of a car… no… limo. It was clean and looked expensive. It was clean and comfy, something she wasn't used to. And in front of her was an older looking woman with gray hair and dark blue eyes.

She looked _old_ but radiated power.

"Hello, Miss Soot."

"Who da fuck are you?" She slurred out drunkenly. She was done playing nice. Look where that got her.

"My name is Sturm SneBier."

"So?"

"I'm here to offer you an opportunity. You see, I read your file. I know everything about your loss-" Gale shot her a glare. "-to your attempt on the heiress of the SDC. And I believe you're perfect for what I have in mind."

"And why should I listen to you?"

"The SDC… or more specifically _'the man on top'_ has been making it harder on my business… and personal life. He has made it clear that he won't stop escalating. I intend to end it _now._ "

She was… slightly intrigued.

" _So why me? I'm a nobody with an aura."_

"That's where you're wrong. What you are… what you could be is a figurehead. While you lack… _refinement_ , you are the most perfect one to end them. You have notoriety. You're not a mercenary. You're a faunus. An everyday faunus. Someone that can relate to you."

"What are you even asking me to do?"

"To kill everyone in that bloated castle of theirs."

Gale gave a small chuckle.

"That's suicidal. Top of the line security and two of them are in reserve. And if that wasn't enough, their little isolation has made that place impenetrable."

"You'll have help… _my_ help."

"Excuse me, _lady…_ you don't seem the type."

"It's true I lack an aura. But what I have is resources. Top of the line equipment to break in and do the deed so to speak."

"Then what next? Assuming I survive, what next?"

"With the death of the Schnee family, my company will take advantage of the chaos and the SDC will be no more. Faunus will rally behind your name, _a figurehead for a new movement._ And that means no more needless deaths or inhumane labor."

Gale took a small gulp. Was this her second chance?

"And… what about me?"

"If you do this for me, then I assure you a peaceful life with a new identity outside of Atlas. And you'll live with the knowledge that you helped make _real_ change for the better."

Gale closed her eyes. This was a chance to do some good. Rectify her mistakes. Finish what she started.

"I'm in. But I'm no fighter. And no amount of technology will even put me on the level of a huntsman."

"Oh technology is just the first step."

"Then what's the second?"

"Tell me, Miss Soot. _Do you believe in magic?"_

* * *

 **Edited/beta'd by /u/Spartacus400. Next chapter: The Queen and her Mirror**


	4. The Queen and Her Mirror

Chapter 4: The Queen and Her Mirror

* * *

Two whole weeks had went by since mother came back, and the mood in the household had improved somewhat. Father became a little more preoccupied with work, but at least his temper was in check when he was here… almost as if he had an outlet for that rage. She wasn't complaining by any means, it just meant less distractions for her.

Of course, that meant more time to study, and to train. She was going to start remedial lessons soon. They served as a way to teach control and keep an eye on them. The most early admissions to a combat school were eleven at the very least provided that they excel at the remedial lessons. She wasn't ever going to stop training and studying as long as she-

"Weiss, you got that serious look on your face again."

"So?" Weiss gave her sister the evil eye.

"So lighten up. You've been cooped up in your room nearly all day."

"Is that a problem?" Weiss asked annoyed.

"Well, yeah. It is a problem. Ever since you got back from the hospital, you're either in your room studying or training. The only time I see you is when you come out to eat. It's not healthy."

Weiss just looked away. "So?"

Winter gave a tired sigh. "I've given you space so you can recover. I know what you've been through wasn't exactly… pleasant."

"That's an understatement." Weiss muttered.

"But you've got to come out of your shell."

Weiss said nothing. She could tell Winter was getting infuriated at her.

"You know what? How about this. Since you're so keen on training, _spar with me._ If you win, I won't bring this up again. And if I win, we're going to go out and do something."

Weiss was unsure. "I… don't know..."

"Are you _chicken?_ " Winter taunted her.

Weiss then stood up and declared, " _You're on."_

Winter gave a small smile. "Just don't complain when I kick your butt."

They made their way to the training room where they found mother waiting for them. Ever since Weiss's old teacher, Mr. Sabre disappeared, their mother took up the role as teacher. She was a certified reserve huntress who was more than qualified to teach them.

Winter loved having mother teaching them because she allowed them to train at their own pace. Weiss wouldn't admit it, but she enjoyed actually having her mother as their teacher. Her mother would actually help them to improve and _talk_ to them. She tried not to let that distraction interfere with her studies and training, but she failed in that endeavor more than once.

"You're here early, girls."

"Mother, would you oversee our spar? Winter and I have made a little wager." Weiss said politely.

"Oh? What was the wager?" Their mother asked amused.

"If I win, we're going out and doing something." Their mother had a smile on her face.

"Alright. I'll oversee this spar." Their mother tossed them two metallic bracelets before she moved to the sideline. The two sisters put on the metallic bracelets and then went over to the weapon racks. They both favored the rapier as their weapon of choice. Once they had their weapon, they went to the separate sides and prepared themselves.

"You know how this goes. First one with their aura depleted loses."

Both of them gave a nod of acknowledgment to their mother. A small holographic screen was displayed on the wall, the bracelets began to emit a low hum and then the screen showcased their aura level. Both Winter and Weiss had their aura full. They turned their attention from the screen to each other. After a small bow, they raised their weapons.

" _Begin!"_ Their mother declared.

Winter charged at her with ferocity. Her style of fighting was always focused on striking hard and fast. Weiss was slower and more methodical in her approach. She took notice of where Winter was going to swing. She was going to attack at her literal blind spot. With quick reflexes, she managed to block Winter's attack.

But Winter merely kept pushing as Weiss struggled to continue to stand her ground. Until Winter tripped Weiss off her feet with a leg sweep.

 _THUD!_

Weiss landed on the ground, _hard._ Winter raised her foot to stomp on Weiss. A quick combat roll spared Weiss from stomped into the floor.

Weiss jumped back onto her feet and pointed her rapier at Winter. She looked over Winter's form. It appeared casual at first glance but there was hidden tension beneath it. Winter was deliberately leaving herself open, ready to counter any of Weiss's attacks.

Weiss wasn't going to fall for any her sister's tricks. So she merely circled her sister, waiting for her to make a move. Winter kept Weiss in her view as Weiss continued to circle around her. Winter seemed to get frustrated that Weiss was stalling until she smiled.

Weiss was nervous the moment her older sister had that smug smile on her face. There was a low hum behind her, Weiss barely had any time to notice it it, let alone avoid it. Winter was using her semblance! Weiss was flung toward Winter, who took the opportunity to deliver several blows at Weiss. Winter's strikes didn't stop Weiss's momentum and she flew past Winter.

And into another glyph, which propelled her back with frightening speeds. Winter continued with another series of strikes. The blows that had struck her body were getting progressively harder and harder. Her aura was going down at a break-neck pace and she needed to do something otherwise she would _fail._

Another familiar hum of the glyph was heard. This time she was ready. As the glyph launched her forward she held out her weapon, ready to strike. She charged at Winter, who was unprepared for this unexpected turn of events. She landed a huge blow on Winter. Once she was flung past Winter, she skidded onto the floor.

In the corner of her one good eye, she saw Winter's aura. There was barely any damage to Winter's aura. She grimaced. And then she heard that _damn_ hum beneath her. Then she was shot several feet in the air, panic setting in. Then she saw Winter shoot up from the ground and torpedo toward her, rapier first. A quick hard stab knocked her back as Winter barreled past her. Another _damn_ hum sound and she felt a rapier strike her in the back.

 _THUD!_

She fell to the floor. She knew she lost and that _pissed_ her off. She started pounding her fists on the floor before she pointed at Winter.

" _She cheated!"_

Winter held out her hands mockingly. "Oh, I _totally_ cheated, even if there was no rule about using my semblance."

"It wasn't _fair!"_

" _Boo-hoo._ Life isn't always fair." Winter retorted.

Weiss had to agree with her sister on that. Life _wasn't_ fair. Look at her scars, her eye! Newly unlocked aura typically would have heal any and all wounds, with no scars or anything. But instead she had to use it on that _traitor._ And by the time she had forced herself to heal, it was too late. She had missed the time frame for fully healing herself and was paying the price for it. Her unnaturally pale skin and scars proved it.

"Still wasn't fair." Weiss repeated.

"You accepted anyway." Was Winter's reply.

She shouldn't have accepted. Her aura wasn't as developed as her sister's because Winter had her aura much longer than her. And her sister had _much_ more experience than her. She had no chance of winning.

" _Uugh. Fiiine._ What are we doing?"

"We're going out for ice cream." Winter said with a smile.

" _Ice cream."_ Weiss deadpanned.

In the background, their mother had a wide grin on her face.

"Why ice cream? We could do anything, _literally anything_ yet ice cream?"

Winter shouted again, "Ice cream!"

* * *

"Come on and order something." She said to her younger sister.

"No." Her sister really needed to lighten up.

"It's not going to kill you."

"No."

She sighed loudly in the mostly empty ice cream parlor. Several of the guards glanced in their direction.

"How about you order..." She paused to look at the menu. "Neapolitan?"

"I don't like it."

"Will you lighten up Weiss? Father is actually letting us go out and do something!"

Granted he had bought out the entire ice cream parlor for the day and had several guards watching over them, but it was a huge improvement compared how to he used to be. Everything was looking up for the Schnee family, except for Weiss. Weiss gave a small huff in response. Winter slammed her head down onto the table in frustration.

She lifted her head and stared at Weiss. "What happened to my little sister that wanted bunkbeds?"

"Father and you didn't like the idea. It was… one of the few things that you two could agree on."

"It was… wasn't it?" Winter chuckled.

Weiss was forming a small smile. "Weiss, you don't have to be so serious all the time. You're not just the heiress to father's company, _you're my sister._ "

Weiss's smile drooped a little. "But… it's a responsibility that I _have_ to uphold. There shouldn't be anything else."

"Just please, _please_ remember the good times. They don't have to stop. I know how you feel, burdened by the weight. And it will continue to weigh down on you until you _snap._ So please, don't make the same mistake I did. There is a life outside your duties. _It won't hurt to indulge yourself every now and again."_

" _But..."_

"If you won't do it for yourself, _do it for me._ I almost lost you once, and I won't lose you to this."

Weiss exhaled and looked at the menu. "I guess I'll have the… vanilla?"

"So boring! Be a little adventurous. Like me! I'm having the Ultra Mega Banana Split." Winter encouraged her little sister.

"Vanilla with whipped cream?"

"You're joking, right?" Weiss stared blankly at her.

"… Right?"

"… _Nooo?"_

Winter sighed. "Try again."

"The Quadruple Scoop Supreme?"

"No. I had that once and it was a mistake. Personally, they could have made it better. How about the Double Deluxe special?"

Weiss looked at the menu. " _Ew._ It comes in a cone. I hate the cones. _Noo_."

"What's wrong with cones? They're delicious."

"Everybody likes cones but I don't."

"You're missing out then, but waffle cones are tasty. How about you try ordering something big and expensive."

"Fine. Then I'll have the…" Weiss squinted at the menu. "The Eberle Sundae Delight?"

"Sounds good. _We're ready to order!"_ Winter shouted.

After they gave their order, Weiss realized she wanted to ask Winter something. She always had speculated on the question, but she wanted to ask Winter herself. "Hey Winter…"

"Yeah?"

"Why… do you want to be a huntress?" Weiss asked.

She never really asked her older sister that question. Weiss had never had the chance to ask Winter that question before their family went back together, Winter preferred to spend their time together differently, less talking and more playing.

Winter sighed. "It was a way out." With a slight tone of shame. Weiss gave her a small confused look.

"I didn't want to run a company. I just… hated… _hated_ how I was being groomed for it. _So I left._ It was tempting… being a huntress, traveling the world. But..." Her voice cracked slightly. "It was selfish. I didn't realize… I didn't think about you. Or about the fact that the responsibility would fall onto you. _I'm sorry._ I've been trying to make it up to you…. But… I feel like I failed as a big sister. I've made a huge mistake. I want to do anything to fix it. Hell, I'll even drop my ambition of being a huntress and become heiress again for you. I'm-"

"Winter… I could never hate you. You make your choices and I make mine. And look where it got us. We're together _again. That's all that matters."_

Winter smiled. "You're insightful for a ten year old."

"Runs in the family." They shared a small chuckle as their ice cream arrived. Winter couldn't help but feel hope as they ate. Her family was back together again, and was showing progress on improving.

Small steps, sure, but the fact that even her _father_ was showing some degree of change spoke volumes. The man was stubborn as a bull and could be a bit of a prick sometimes. Still he was actually letting them out… somewhat. But still, before he would have gone ballistic at the thought of them leaving home… even for something as little as ice cream.

 _Hell,_ he even let up on training Weiss, and allowed mother to train them. It was… getting better. Maybe things were really looking up for them. She looked at Weiss. Her little sister started eating slow and polite before she started to loosen up. She was no longer focused on etiquette, but rather savoring the moment. Her sister deserved to have a happy childhood. Something she didn't have. Even if her sister wouldn't have a normal childhood, she wouldn't let it be an unhappy one. Weiss spent so much time being alone, with only patches of actual, _meaningful_ interaction.

She wouldn't let Weiss be alone, _ever again._ After all, that's what big sisters are supposed to do. She looked at Weiss again. She was just a kid… a kid with several burdens. Despite it all, she just wanted Weiss to have some chances to be a normal kid. To have something she never got. Because, she isn't someone Weiss should be.

 _Defiant, reckless, and angry._ With Weiss's future already determined, she couldn't afford to be like her, she needed to be the opposite of her.

 _Calm, cool, and collected._ She may have hated the responsibility, but that didn't make it any less important. People would rely on her. And if she was anything like her… the consequences would be devastating.

Weiss shouldn't have Winter's childhood, _constantly forced_ to train and study, never an opportunity to be happy. It was why she ran. So she could be happy. So she could be _free._ Yet it wasn't true happiness… with the guilt lurking behind that happiness.

But this… was true happiness. Weiss gave her a heart-warming smile.

The smile on her face… it gave her hope.

* * *

He was looking out the window. And he looked down at the cold land before him. The tower stood above everything else, and in its own way, it was a beacon. A beacon of stability and progress for most. But… for the rest, it is something that they feared, and for good reason. They threatened the stability of his company, and thus threatened the stability of the world.

There are several who would see this company burned to the ground on the basis of ' _moral superiority'._ But they _never_ see the big picture. They can't imagine the consequences of their ideals. If his company was suddenly gone, then so would the world's largest Dust supplier be gone, too. Those _idealistic fools and animals_ simply could not fathom the terror that would cause.

Kingdoms without power would fall into anarchistic riots, economies would fall, and peace would be utterly _shattered_. Everyone was _reliant_ on Dust, it was the life-support for the kingdoms. Without the huge supply of Dust, communications between kingdoms would cease, travel would become supremely limited, and no one would be ready to protect themselves.

Just look at the past riots in Vale, they were _equipped_ with Dust and the finest weapons, and it was still pure chaos. So a Dust shortage would leave the cops, the military, _the huntsmen_ ill equipped to keep the peace, let alone protect the kingdoms from the Grimm.

So yes, he sacrificed his morals for _this._ History has been built upon the backs of lesser people. Throughout history, it has _always_ been like this. From the poor, to the losers of a war, to humans to faunus, they were always lesser beings to be controlled by the strong. It will never change, _ever._ He was one of the few people that understood that fact of life.

So why couldn't _they_ understand that? Instead, they continuously try to undermine his efforts to preserve the world the way it is. They kept on escalating, and he responded twice as hard.

They need to learn their place in the world. He had made examples of those who disobeyed. ' _Dangerous mining incidents'_ to the press and the media, a reminder to the rest. They don't have any proof but they _know._ They understood that they were lesser people and they understood that they either worked to the bone for the good of society or just _die._

Sure that may have spurred some to fight harder, but they would also _die_ faster. Yet… there were some… troublesome matters. Everything was threatening to collapse on him. The White Fang may be in a slight decline, there were still some radicals out there. They were escalating harder and faster… and he feared that he might have to get some questionable business partners to say the least. He may not admit it, but at times… they were a serious… threat to his family.

Still things were on the up and up for him. His research team in Vale had survived the riots and their ' _Ice Fine'_ project had shown significant progress despite their ninth attempt nearly destroying all life on… _its better if nobody knew about that one_.

And Immersion Labs… where does he even start with them? They were definitely going to change the future with their project. While they weren't exactly PR-friendly, they were almost guaranteed to secure the military contract.

It also serves as an excellent _fuck-you_ to SneBier Incorporated. They were barely scraping by… even if they may be the second largest Dust supplier but there was no comparison between the two. So they were looking to expand, and so was he.

The military was the best option for both of them, but after the _attack_ on his daughter… he would crush them. For too long, he had tolerated them but anyone who even _dared_ threaten his family didn't deserve to live. And especially now. His family had finally gotten back together. Then again with the rock bottom they hit before, _anything_ is progress.

Still, he didn't want to lose them again… or possibly forever. So he agreed to his wife's terms, _as long as he was able to keep an eye on them,_ it will be fine. One could never be too safe, too many friends and family were _killed._ It didn't matter how powerful or how strong they were, _they were overwhelmed._ And everyone wondered why he and his family were so isolated outside of work.

Except him. He needed to be a powerful, influential and occasionally charismatic public figure. However that may change… maybe he over-reacted.

Maybe his wife was right. He just bought out an entire ice cream parlor and had it filled with guards just because his daughters wanted to go out for ice cream. It was a trial run of sorts, and _nothing_ happened. Maybe his family was right, _he was just paranoid._

Perhaps… those _animals_ had learned their place… and the White Fang was on the decline. The only problem was SneBier but she was on her way out. Her one good thing keeping her afloat was the good PR she had, and the lies and slander were slowly destroying that too. People turned away from her… and went to him. Maybe it was time to end this insane isolation. His daughters were no longer small children.

Hell, Winter was a skilled combat student, even if he didn't initially condone her desire to become a huntress, he could see she will be an excellent huntress. And Weiss was already showing promise, a bit heavy-handed with her studies but she was certainly driven. Still, he knew that the isolation wasn't healthy for her. Sure she knew how to be polite and courteous, but she hadn't learned how to deal with people, to extend her will over others.

She had to be like him if she was going to inherit this company… this responsibility. She needed to learn how to be in control, to dominate, _to lead._ This company was in a delicate balance, where everyone knew who was in charge and could be trusted not to stab him in the back. Before SneBier escalated, any and all transgressions resulted in them being blacklisted everywhere. Now? If they tried anything, they simply… disappeared.

 _They knew._ They all knew. From the board of the directors to the janitors, they knew who is in charge. But… things will change. The best kind of change was _slow_ , like how he was dealing with his family issues. Things were improving slowly, and maybe in a year's time, they could actually have some semblance of normality. However the worst type of change was fast. It destroyed entire stable foundations in an instant, and left nothing but ruin in its wake. It's the same reason why he hated those who go against him and his company.

So, when his family came back, he knew that he wouldn't be welcomed with open arms and they were doing it for the sake of the family. He had to earn his place at that family. So he sacrificed some control over them to ensure they would stay, but as long as they stayed he could ensure they were protected. And it wasn't just for him, it was for Weiss too. He knew that he wasn't the best father around, as he drove Winter away in the first place. He couldn't be the warm loving father… _no…_ he was the cold, controlling authority figure. Even if it was a horrendous action, it always served a greater purpose. Yet, isolating Weiss was both a good and bad decision.

Weiss was strong and determined, two invaluable traits for thriving in this world but she grew up in isolation. Unlike Winter who was born before he decided to… withdraw his family away, she was effectively born in isolation. Weiss doesn't know how to deal with other people. And his whole company was built on dealing with people. None of his company would be possible if he didn't know how to deal with people.

Occasionally a facade of charisma and understanding would be required to impress people like the shareholders. Of course, there were always people who could see through the facade. The ones who could always had to be dealt with force… and there was his problem. He could never pretend with his family, so he never did. All they ever got was the cold, seething anger. It wasn't his fault, he was carrying an entire company on his shoulders, besides at least it was real. His anger, his rage, that was real. He couldn't bear to be fake around them even if he had hurt them through his ill-tempered words, but he would never let anything physically hurt them and that included everything from those _damn_ radicals to even himself.

At least for the time being, he had an outlet for that rage. He had vision, _always looked at the bigger picture._ Eventually, he would revert to the same person who drove them away. Better if he kept his distance. He already instilled Weiss with all the values and teachings he could give. Yet force only got one so far in the world.

Sure, Weiss was a polite and courteous, but would that hold up when she had to deal with shareholders… or the board of directors? They respected and feared him, for good reason. But… Weiss?

All she knew was strength, not subtlety nor did she understand how to weave through social graces properly. Weiss confided in his wife that she probably caused that _animal_ go berserk on her, because she told the _animal_ who she was.

Isolation was not a good place to breed social skills. She wasn't like Winter, and it worried him how Weiss was going to cope with going to a primary combat school. She only had a year of private remedial lessons before she started. She needed something other than… _his_ particular brand of guidance. Perhaps it was for the best to let his wife handle Weiss for now.

His wife was always more of a diplomat than a fighter.

* * *

Despite his… ' _over-bearing'_ nature, he cared. He was just horrible at showing at it and even more horrible at applying it. When she looked at Weiss, _she knew._ It was not just his fault, _but hers also._ She ran away from this family. While it was not for herself but for Winter, _she still abandoned the family._ A mother should never do that.

So whenever she looked at Weiss and her scars, she always felt a twinge of guilt. And it wasn't just her scars, but how Weiss was raised. Winter never did like how her father raised her, but she let him raise Weiss. And he did a horrible job, _no other way to say it._ The only time she was even remotely happy before was when she visited them. Still, at least he knew he made a mistake with Weiss, _didn't acknowledge it though._ She had a chance to fix this family, and that's why she came back. She had to be a parent, _a mother_ to Weiss.

Her husband wasn't great at showing his love, and look how Weiss turned out. But he was smart enough to let her raise Weiss now. But Weiss hadn't been the same since the incident… she was more isolated than usual. Before she would have been ecstatic to spend time with her family, yet she was more interested in studying and training.

She knew it was probably because of the incident. She wore a constant reminder on her face. Weiss was needlessly stubborn, like her father, at times. But when she finally got Weiss to even talk about the incident, is how she felt weak and powerless the moments leading up to her getting her aura. She knew it wasn't to be taken lightly.

Aura unlocking during a traumatic event was a horrible experience. If she had to guess it was because Weiss was raised to be strong and here she was at her weakest moment… _about to die._

She closed her eyes, she didn't want to think about that. What she needed to think about was helping Weiss. Weiss was too focused on strength and power. She had to break Weiss out of her shell. Winter… and hell even her husband in his own way… were already helping on that front, even managing to get Weiss to go out for ice cream.

But even after Weiss came home happy, _all it took was one look in the mirror to shatter that._ And then the cycle began anew. Weiss needed to change. Her husband was dropping less-than-subtle hints that he has been considering dropping the whole isolation thing altogether.

Introduce the whole media fucking circus act onto their family, taking a page out of his competition's book. Even though the public reception of the competition is failing, _and she has her suspicions,_ they had remarkable PR before. It was because they had focused on the family dynamics with them.

SneBier focused the media's attention on her daughter, rather than the boring mundane business politics unlike the Schnee Dust Company. Which was a smart if not deplorable tactic to use. The media always did prefer to focus on the lighter side, and an heiress being adorable and attending popular events brought good PR. Obviously she knew what her husband was going to do. _God, it's going to be a fucking media circus._ Keeping his family isolated made it seem like an intriguing mystery. Business-wise it was a smart move, and introduces the heiress of the SDC to the world.

Nobody had seen the heiress… _her daughter…_ before. Even when she was hospitalized, throw enough money at the doctors and the police and they keep their mouths shut. At this point, she wanted to strangle her husband. But she took a deep breath. She may not be able to change where Weiss was going to end up, but she can sure as hell make sure she will be there to help and support her. She left her once, but she won't make that mistake again.

Mothers should be there to support their children. She didn't nearly die through childbirth two times to abandoned her children. She found herself standing in front of their room. Winter was out training and Weiss… she should be cooped up studying. She knocked on the door.

"Weiss?" No response.

"Weiss? Can I come in?"

"Fine."

A quiet mumble from her young daughter. She opened the door and found Weiss reading a book on her bed. _The History of Remnant._ She looked at Weiss. She wasn't covering her damaged eye. Her eye… it was never going to heal. The scars were the hardest to look at. She could eventually get some laser surgery to remove those scars.

Yet Weiss objected to that idea. It was probably one of the few times Weiss actually objected to something. It saddened her greatly seeing her daughter like this. Four scars across her eye, and every time she will see her daughter, she will be reminded of her past failures as a mother. Yet that was why she is here. She sat down next to Weiss on the bed.

"Hello, Weiss." It was a simple greeting, to test the waters with Weiss.

"Mother." Weiss responded.

"Are you alright?"

" _I'm fine!"_ Weiss snapped. She then closed the book, seemly ashamed of her outburst. "I apologize mother, that was unruly of me."

"It's fine, Weiss. But your father wanted me to-"

"Help me get better at _'courtesy'_ and _'politeness'._ I pay attention, mother." She looked down. "Out of line. I apologize again, mother."

"Weiss, it's fine-"

"It's not fine!" She got up from the bed. "It's not fine! This," she gestured to her face, no, her scars. "Is not fine! I have to be better! And I can't even get common courtesy down!"

She got up and hugged her daughter.

"Shhhh. It's all right. You're just a kid. You don't have to bear the burdens of the world right now. And I'll be here to help you, Weiss." Weiss hugged her mother back, as a lone tear fell down her face.

* * *

Sturm watched the drunk faunus before her. Truthfully, she would never chose Gale. But she was running out of options. She needed some faunus with aura. Most of the mercenaries she hired, both those ' _freelancers'_ and ' _drop-outs',_ had failed.

This would only work with someone with aura. And in order to achieve maximum effect on her attack on the Schnees, they would have to be a faunus. It would make it seem justified, if everything went right. Still, Gale's chances of surviving the process were slim. If hardened mercenaries couldn't survive, then why her? But, she was getting desperate.

Hell, she would do it herself if she had aura. Everything was falling apart, everything she built from _nothing,_ was all about to come crashing down because of the damned Schnees.

She couldn't go back to nothing. She won't let her daughter experience that hell _ever._ She won't let her daughter experience the hell of not knowing if she was going to eat or not. She looked at Gale. She would never stoop that low again.

Gale was thinking heavily about the question she just posed. True, the whole thing was unreal, but ultimately… it was true.

"You're kidding." Gale was skeptic like the rest of them, no one initially believed it at first.

"No, I'm not."

"So, am I going to get a wand or something?" Gale asked condescendingly. She could do without the attitude. For all her lies about needing Gale, if Gale became a problem, then she would may have to find another faunus with aura, but… she will do it.

"Have you heard of the fairy tale, _'The Reflections in the Mirror'_?"

Gale laughed. It was a sad laugh. "I didn't have the luxury of having fairy tales read to me when I was a kid. So what are you telling me? That fairies and giants are really real?"

"I don't know about any other fairy tales, but it would be pretty ridiculous if fairy tales like ' _The Story of the Seasons'_ or ' _The Four Knights of Grimm'_ were real."

"Then, what is so special about this one?"

"We found the mirror. It's real." Sturm stated.

"And what does that exactly entail?" Sturm let out an audible sigh. Should she even bother explaining? She explained this particular fairy tale nearly a half of a dozen times, why should you repeat it again?

"Basically, there is a mirror. Inside it, lays a guardian. If you defeat the guardian, you get power." Sturm explained in a monotone voice. There was more to it, but… she could tell Gale was already going to fail.

"That's all?" Gale asked.

"Yes."

"Just waltz up to a magic mirror and defeat a presumably ancient guardian. Yeah… I call bullshit. I'm not stupid." Well, Gale was smarter than she gave her credit for.

"All that bullshit about ' _needing'_ me… pffft. A fucking ten year old beat me. Granted she had aura and training, but the principle still applies. I'm bottom of the barrel. You're desperate. Admit it."

"Well, you're not wrong. But I wasn't lying about..." "I'll do it," Gale interrupted. "Well, there is a high chance you _won't_ make it." Sturm decided to be truthful this time. She knew Gale wouldn't back down, but she'd rather not get her hopes up.

"Do I look like I got something to come back to? I mean you picked me up while I was passed out on the street."

"You've made your point."

"Then let's get this over with." She tapped on the driver's window, signaling him to take them to the warehouse. Gale merely looked outside the window, while she kept extending and sheathing her claws.

How did Sturm end up here? This whole magic mirror business was desperate, even for her. She spent nearly three whole weeks trying to get the power after she found the mirror in a Dust mine. She wouldn't be in this situation if Oglasa Sabre actually did his job. Schnee kept his family hidden away from everyone, he was notorious for it.

But, there was a pattern to be found. Every now and again, the heiress would be sent somewhere, probably a vacation resort or summer home. It was a ripe opportunity to break Schnee.

Hell, even Oglasa kept his mouth shut about them until she managed to get some private investigator to find out his dirty little secret that would destroy his status as a reserve huntsman. He was still a bit unwilling even then, perhaps maybe he didn't sabotage the airship completely. She wanted the heiress out of the way.

She had to break the man on top so she could survive. She saw her company becoming more obsolete, and it was a matter of survival.

Yet, her attempt backfired horrendously. And now, it was a desperate fight just to survive. If he wanted to escalate, then she would have to escalate as well. When the car stopped, she knew they arrived.

"Come," she instructed Gale.

The driver opened the door and they stepped out in the middle of nowhere, except for a small warehouse.

"Thank you, Rusty." The driver responded with a nod. He went up to the warehouse door and held it open. All three of them entered the empty warehouse. Much to her pleasure, Gale kept her mouth shut while Sturm went up to one of the walls. She opened up a hidden panel and revealed a hand scanner.

She put her hand on the scanner while saying, "Authorization, Sturm SneBier. Two visitors. Code: Pride before the fall."

"Registered. Welcome Miss SneBier and guests." A robotic voice answered back. A small round tube ascended from the floor.

Gale whistled. "Fancy underground elevators. Now I've seen everything."

"If you would, Miss Soot." Rusty gestured for her to enter the elevator. Gale entered with the two of them joining her.

"Could have used some elevator music." Gale muttered when the doors opened. She entered the familiar room. In the very middle of the room, behind a layer of reinforced glass with a door, was an old and dusty mirror adorned with a black frame.

"I do have to warn you, Miss Soot. It's not just a fight of the body, it is a fight of the soul according to the tale." Rusty warned Gale.

"So, do I just hop in?" Gale asked.

"When we first found it, one of the guards accidentally used his aura and got dragged into it. His dead body was tossed out with the fairy tale carved onto his chest. As far we could tell, you just need to activate your aura nearby for it to work."

Gale nodded and went inside the confined space. She unsheathed her claws and the mirror shimmered before Gale was sucked into it.

"And now we wait." Sturm told her loyal servant… her friend. Her silver watch began beeping. Sturm started to panic. She needed to take her Dust infusion now! Rusty put his hand on her shoulder, holding out a small syringe for her.

"It's alright, ma'am."

"Thank… thank you, Rusty." He merely nodded in response. She took out a tourniquet and wrapped around her left arm. Rusty injected the white Dust into her. She clenched her teeth. She hated this price for power, for protection.

Without aura, she had no good means of protecting herself. Even with Rusty watching over her, she still felt vulnerable. So she started injecting Dust into herself. But without any aura to regulate it, she started needing to take injections of Dust more and more frequently. Her body couldn't handle the Dust without aura.

Unlike those with aura, her body couldn't hold Dust indefinitely nor did she had the immunity to the _addiction_ to it. It was sad and pathetic when it came time to inject the Dust. But… if she wanted to protect all that she had, then it was a small price to pay.

* * *

Gale was thrown out of the mirror. She took started hyperventilating.

"Holy shit, holy shit." Was all she could mutter. Never… that… she couldn't experience that again. She was drained… yet… at the same time, she could feel the mirror's magic coursing through her. But the toll that was taken on her was too high.

The pain had struck her deeply in the soul. The physical pain she could take, _hell_ even dying was something she could… did take. But the mind games…? That bastard mirror tried tainting her happy memories… her memories of Zephyr. She reached up and rubbed her throat. She still felt the sensation of her cutting her own throat.

The bastard mirror didn't expect that when it started to absorb her.

"Miss Soot? Are you alright?" The butler asked, helping her get up. He tried to lead her outside the room, but she pushed him off.

"I just needed to do one thing." She went up to the mirror and summoned that newly founded power. The magic amped up her aura to new levels. She could probably match several huntsmen in terms of raw power. She would hit them harder than they every could, and she could shrug off their attacks like they never could. She smashed the mirror before her. She could swear the mirror cried in anguish. She gave a smile. Nobody would suffer because of that damn mirror.

" _What are you doing?!"_ Sturm cried out. Rusty drew a small golden revolver.

"Just making sure this power dies with me."

" _Why?!"_

"The mirror was a dick." That was a massive understatement. She despised the mirror.

"I'm still going to help you." She summoned that power and completely transformed into a small whirlwind of glass shards vaguely resembling a human figure. She willed herself to fly and reform behind the two and it happened in an instant. Sturm held out her hand as it glew white briefly while Rusty aimed his revolver at her. She gave a cocky smile. While the suffering caused by that dick mirror was not worth it, this power was still exhilarating none the less. Semblances could do any number of things, but she was just handed a shortcut. It was like a fully trained semblance. She just wished that she could have her semblance on top of this magic.

Using this magic was liberating… she felt free and unrestrained. And with the knowledge of those that were absorbed by the mirror, she should be more than enough to take on those bastards.

"So, are you going to armor me up or what?" Sturm put down her hand and nodded toward the butler to do the same.

"I would very much like to wait… and just… document the effects. Just out of curiosity."

"Sorry, but not sorry. I signed up to deliver justice on those Schnees. Either we do this now or..." She had turned a small part of her hand turn into glass shards.

" _Fine. Fine._ I just assumed that you would want to strategize a plan with this power."

"Just give me an airship and a gun, and I'm golden." She wanted to end the Schnees as quickly as possible. " _Or else."_

With this power, she was finally going to get her way and make things better. Sturm sighed. The three of them entered back into the elevator. Sturm took put her scroll and began talking.

"I need you to bring an airship to the ' _location'._ Yes, location alpha. That one. Bring the new combat kit. The one not in production. And a spare airship, _unmarked_. It's for an individual. A very special individual." She closed her scroll and they entered the empty warehouse. Rusty stood by the limo with Sturm.

After nearly thirty minutes, two airships flew in. One of the pilots hopped on out and walked toward Gale.

"Are you this ' _special'_ individual?" She turned into a swirl of glass shards for a moment. The pilot stepped back in fear.

"So, yeah. Special. Now give me the keys."

"Can you even pilot an airship?" he asked.

One of the mercenaries had been a pilot, and that knowledge was now hers. It was incomplete knowledge, but she probably knew enough to fly. She shouldn't have any trouble.

"Yes, I can." In the corner of her eye, she saw Sturm raise an eyebrow. She snatched the keys out of the pilot's hands. Entering the airship, she found a crate inside waiting for her. She unlocked it and found a pile of body armor. It looked advanced and fancy. She grinned as she put it out on. Then she found a huge assault gun. She grabbed it and admired it. She put it onto her back.

"Gale!" Sturm's voice grabbed her attention. "If you're going to do this, you'd better not fail. You may have this ' _magic'_ but you're not invincible."

"Don't worry, I'll get the job done." Sturm glared at her. Gale went into the pilot's seat and flew off. She had no plan other than _kill them all._ But she didn't need a plan, when she had the mirror's magic. The pain she felt nearly ages ago felt renewed after that ' _fight'_ with the mirror. With that pain came a sense of recklessness and vengeance. No longer would she do nothing!

The ship soared through the cold midday sky. She made a beeline to the Schnee's household.

 _No matter their defenses, no matter their weapons or warriors, she would have her justice._ After a long time, piloting this airship, she approached the castle. The damn bloated castle that stood above all of them. Profiting off their suffering! Thinking that they can gloss over the deaths that they caused! She could tell that someone was trying to radio in.

She ignored them. After a whole minute, something began beeping. Then she saw the missiles. She grinned as the missiles hit the airship. She directed the airship to crash into the courtyard. Her aura managed to protect her from the crash. She took out her gun and went to the side of the ship. She slammed the side door opened. Several guards clad in SDC armor all pointed their weapons toward her.

"Hands in the air!" One of them shouted. She smiled as she activated her magic.

 _She would have her vengeance._

* * *

"Isn't this nice?" Her mother asked her.

"Quite." She set down her teacup. This was a practice in etiquette. _Boring, boring etiquette._ She'd rather be studying or training right now. Maybe because that was what she was good at. And she didn't struggle with this. But she knew that she couldn't just focus on that. She had to be the best, so she could carry the burden on her shoulders.

Even if she broke two teacups beforehand. When she accidentally dropped the first one, she flinched. But mother smiled and told me it was alright. The second time, she still didn't get any reprimands. Wasn't this supposed to be a lesson? She picked up the tea cup and sipped quietly. Personally, she'd rather have coffee. Distracted by that thought, she set down the cup too fast and the tea spilled onto the table.

"Shi..." She held her tongue. "I'm sorry for my clumsiness."

"Weiss, it's alright. Just enjoy the company and the surroundings." She then started to wipe up the spilled tea with a napkin. Weiss had to move her head all the way to the life to see the surrounding mountains.

Drinking tea on the balcony was… peaceful. There was no blizzard, just light snow fall gently falling down as the mountains stood there. It was… nice. Weiss understood what her mother was trying to get at. This wasn't a lesson. She couldn't just plow through trying to learn proper etiquette. This was just mother and her having tea.

No harsh lessons, no reprimands for her failures, just her spending time with mother. It was nice having some recognition with no pressure, unlike before under her father's tutelage. She couldn't just force herself to be like mother; calm, polite, and proper. She had to take this slow and enjoy this moment with her mother.

She poured herself another cup and sipped it quietly. She thought this to be a test of sorts, but it wasn't. There was no need to force herself for this. She just had to be slow and methodical about this, yet there was no pressure. She set her cup this time without spilling it or accidentally slamming it down. A triumph in it's own right.

Yet, this may not be a test, but she needed to be better. "Weiss, just relax." But… maybe for now, she could hold out on improving herself. She relaxed and they both remain quiet while they both drank the tea. Weiss hated to admit it, but the peace was nice. The quiet breeze was soothing and calming. She could barely feel the patch covering her eye. It was nice, not being reminded of it. Something

"Mother… how do you do it?"

"How do I do what?"

"Remain so calm. How do you do it?" Her mother seemed amused then a little saddened.

"I wasn't always like this."

"What do you mean?" Weiss asked with curiosity.

"For a lack for better words, I wasn't a very nice person. I may have gotten my way more often than not. But the world doesn't… _always_ work that way. Eventually, I didn't get my way. And I lost my way… and I fell hard, almost too hard. But I learned something. Sometimes you've got to be kind. And other times you've got to _fake_ kindness when others fake that kindness to you."

She nearly didn't finish the next sentences but she managed to.

"And other times… during the worst times… you've got to be… cruel. Yet… you should always start off being ki..."

She stopped mid-sentence as she noticed it.

* * *

"Mother? What's wrong?" Her youngest daughter asked.

"Get inside Weiss." She stood up and grabbed Weiss's hand.

"Mother?" Then Weiss finally saw it. She ran with her daughter inside as the airship crashed into the courtyard.

"Mother, what's going on?" Gunfire answered that for her.

"We've got to find your sister! Where is she?"

"She… she should be in the ballroom training." Both of them ran downstairs and to the ballroom. Winter was in a battle-stance, with her saber in hand pointed to the entrance. She lowered her weapon when she realized it was them.

"Mother, what's going on?!" Winter asked worriedly.

"Winter, we've got to go." Winter nodded, clearly grasping the situation albeit she had a worried look on her face. She handed Weiss to Winter. Weiss grabbed Winter's free hand while she went over to the weapons rack. She grabbed a simple training saber. Her weapon was on the other side of the household, but she needed to protect her daughters. The sound of gunfire was steadily becoming less and less, but she took that as a bad sign.

If the intruder or intruders was taken care off, then the gunfire would stop all at once. She needed to get her daughters to safety.

"C'mon!" She grabbed Winter's hand just as the sound of gunfire finally died off. She went toward one of the ballroom exit, only to be blocked.

The intruder was a fox faunus covered in blood soaked white armor. She looked like she was equipped with several grenades and assault rifle, but they looked different some how. It seemed like a weird combination of a personalized weapon and a mass produced weapon. The was body armor… a bit too advanced… whatever the case, she needed to stop here. She heard Weiss let out a gasp. She connected the dots… this faunus was the one… the one who hurt her daughter. She may not know how this ' _Gale'_ got her, but she would certainly end her.

"Winter, take Weiss and run."

"But-" they both exclaimed.

" _Now."_ Winter dragged Weiss toward the exit behind them.

"I won't let you hurt them." She drew her weapon. It wasn't her familiar weapon, it was a foreign conduit for her aura; but that didn't matter. What matter was stopping _her._

"But, you would let them all hurt others, just because they were born different. It's a cycle that I intend to end. You live in this damn castle, profiting off others suffering, _my suffering. Well, no more!"_

Gale raised her weapon and started to fire. She dodged through the hail of bullets and jumped up to strike down this monster that would hurt her daughters.

* * *

The woman was weaving through the gunfire almost like a graceful ballerina dancer but with deep righteous anger in her movement. She was different from the guards. Clearly she had aura, but she moved unlike the guards. The guards had no grace or movement to them, allowing her to gut them and gun them down. She didn't have a gun either, but rather a saber of some sorts. The woman leapt into the air and dove down to strike her.

She was a skilled aura user, able to bridge the gap between her superior firepower. Gale willed herself to turn into a hailstorm of shards and shot herself in every direction. The women blocked with her saber and was pushed back several feet. She had strong aura more than a _mere awakened_ like those guards _._

While she didn't have a physical body, she frowned never the less. Someone else's out-dated information was leaking out. She might deteriorate later, but as long as she can finish _this_ then it won't matter. But the information was still useful. She was facing a skilled and experienced aura user, _not an awakened_. She could use her aura better than any _awakened…_ and she'd have to watch out for the woman's semblance.

The woman held her ground as Gale continued to swirl around, formless. She willed herself to pierce the accursed woman standing between her _vengeance,_ her _justice._ The woman kept moving, never stopping for Gale to hit the woman.

She had to change tactics. She had herself reform a few feet away from the woman and began to open fire on the woman. From what she understood, this gun was top of the line and fired faster than any normal gun and hit a whole lot harder.

The woman kept up her dodging but Gale quickly stopped firing and as a whirlwind of shards kept changing places and firing. This added an element of unpredictability and kept the woman from using her semblance, whatever it may be.

It could be a minor thing or a game changer, but she couldn't allow her to use it. No matter how much power she had, the woman's semblance might be able to bridge that gap and the woman's experience and skill could spell the end for her. And she could tell the woman was getting slower and more tired. Getting more close-calls, and she was unable to fight back against something she can't hit. She eventually managed to hit the woman with a shard of glass.

Her aura stopped it from going through, but the force knocked her back. Gale reformed and charged the woman while firing the gun. The woman's aura managed to withstand the many rounds of bullets for a good five seconds before it her aura shattered. The woman cried out in pain as the bullets ripped her apart. She fell onto her knees, as the blood began seeping out.

She was crying.

"Mom!" A sad look appeared on the woman's face as she collapsed onto her side. The big bad man himself was there, with his two daughters. The two girls had a look of pure hatred on their faces and looked ready to attack her.

But… the one was the cause of all this had a blank look on his face, probably unable to process what happened. His two daughters stepped forward only to be held back by their father. This rich man probably never experienced loss before, and probably had an arrogance that his sins would come back to haunt him.

She unloaded the empty clip and popped in a new one. It was time to begin a new age, _a better age without bigots like him to cause pain and suffering._

She heard a hum beneath her feet.

* * *

He was on his way to a meeting. An important meeting regarding the military contract. It was probably going to be one of the final blows to SneBier. He knew how much SneBier was failing and was relying on the contract to reinvigorate itself. And not only would this most likely be the death blow to SneBier Incorporated, it would signal a dawn of the new age for his company.

Expanding past Dust, and forming a connection with the military… and by extension the government of Atlas. His scroll began ringing, he contemplated not answering it, but he was in a good mood today. He checked it and it was coming from his home. He answered the call.

"Yes?" He heard a heavy coughing. This set off some flags for him… something was wrong.

"Sir… I'm sorry." _Oh no._ "Someone managed to break through the defenses and crashed… an airship into the courtyard. She managed to slaughter most of the security detail… Sorry… I couldn't..."

"My family, _are they safe?"_

"Don't know sir. S...sorry… sir." He slammed his scroll shut and rushed to the elevator. The elevator was going way too slow. He had to get home! That took priority over everything else. When he finally reached the ground floor, he sped past everyone and everything. Several of his employees questioned where he was going, but he ignored them. He took off in his airship and flew like hell to get back home.

He didn't bother waiting for his driver, he needed to be fast, damn everything else. When he finally arrived… he entered the courtyard and found a bloody massacre. Splatters of blood covered the small patches of snow. Bodies of the security detail was torn to shreds.

Panic and worry filled him. Despite not appearing to be a warm and loving father and husband, _he wouldn't know what to do if anything happened to them._ He rushed inside and found his daughters running. He was relived that they were safe… but she was missing.

"Girls, _where's your mother?"_ Weiss tried to speak but she couldn't get the words out. And so Winter spoke for her.

"She's in the ballroom, fighting the intruder."

Intruder, singular. Whoever this person was… they were good. Hopefully his wife could beat them or hold them off long enough for him to get there. He ran off to the ballroom with his daughters close behind. He arrived to see his wife collapsed, bleeding heavily. He heard his daughters cry out while he said nothing. _No…_ not her. Why… _her?_ He… it wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to protect her. _He failed._

He finally got her back… after so long, things were getting better… and now she was gone… _forever._ Both of his daughters started to charge forward but he stopped them. They looked angry at him… at this intruder… _that animal._ Whatever anger was directed toward him… he could take. They wanted to avenge their mother and he was preventing that… but… he wouldn't lose them too. They stepped back slowly.

He held out his hand and summoned a glyph underneath that _animal's_ feet. The glyph shot the _animal_ up into the air and it hit the ceiling. He quickly summoned another glyph and pointed down. A glyph appeared on the ceiling and forced the _animal_ crashing down into the floor. He summoned another two glyphs to both side's of the _animal._

The _animal_ turned into a wind of glass pieces and sped towards him. He put up both of his hands and a giant glyph formed in front of him. It began spinning and spinning. It pushed the whirlwind of glass to the back wall. The pieces of glass slammed against the wall and returned to the form of that _animal_ once more. The _animal_ took out an assault rifle and pointed it at him. He had a small glyph appear on the barrel of the gun.

He felt a surge of energy inside him. He had the Dust within him combine with that glyph. The entire gun became a frozen block alongside most of the animal's hand. The _animal_ cried out in shock while he formed another glyph behind it. The glyph shot the _degenerate_ toward him like a missile. He caught the _animal_ by the throat and slammed it down onto the floor.

He got on top of it and began choking it. He felt it trying to shift into it's other form. But he had a small glyph appear beneath its head and had the glyph slam its head several times to disorientate it. This _animal… this monster deserved hell._

"It… can't end here… I had the… power to make things bet…" He choked the _animal_ tighter. As the _animal_ laid there dying, he had a small glyph form underneath the two of them, where Weiss and Winter would be unable to see it. The glyph sucked whatever dying essence the animal had and into him. He didn't have the glyph absorb the body, his daughters didn't need to see that. Another small piece of his soul withered in the cold.

This animal was going to suffer, he was going tol make sure of that. He got up slowly, his hands still shaking. His two daughters ran up to their mother, she was still hanging on. He rushed over to her and held her in his arms.

"Willow… I'm so… so… sorry." He didn't know why he was apologizing, but he felt like he needed to. She tried speaking, only to cough up some blood. He wanted so hard for her to be alright. He wished that he was younger, so that he could heal her with his aura. But one could only heal someone with an aura for so long… and even then… after a certain age, they could no longer share aura to heal someone. He remained silent and hugged her.

"I… can… save you." Turning her into a summon might work… but… he could tell that the idea horrified her.

"D...don't. Just make sure they are safe… please."

" _Always." "Thank… you dear… I wanted to say… I love you."_ She then turned her dying gaze to their two daughters.

"Weiss…. Winter… please watch over each other... I will always love you… please remember that..." Weiss looked on at her dying mother with a face of grief and horror as her mother faded away.

"Its… its all my fault." Weiss cried out. Winter merely hugged her younger sister. She started to cry. " _All my fault._ If… if only… I killed _her… before…_ mom… she'd… still be..." She broke out into a sob.

Her father gently laid his wife to the ground and closed her eyes. He got up and went up to his crying daughters.

Something dark inside of him wanted to blame Weiss for this… to even hit her. He hated that thought, hated himself for even remotely thinking about that… he wouldn't lay a hand on her _ever_. He looked around the empty ballroom. Despite the bullet holes, it was relatively intact. He remembered the night he danced with Willow in this very room.

The slow music echoed through the halls, and it was just the two of them and nobody else. He comforted his two daughters as they sadly embraced in the silent, empty ballroom.

* * *

Weiss stood in front of the mirror. Today was the day of the funeral. Mother's funeral. She was gone forever. It seemed like a foreign concept to her… but when she roamed the empty house… it was all too familiar. She was gone and she wasn't coming back, ever. The emptiness was a concept she was familiar with. But she hated it.

She despised it. And she'd rather feel the hate and the loathing than this unbearable sadness, the guilt. Father and Winter didn't blame her for mother, but that didn't mean she didn't. She was strong and in control when she made that decision, to spare Gale.

And then that monster stole her mother away. _She was strong_ and _in control,_ and she made the wrong decision. Her kindness taken advantaged of by that animal. She should have heeded her father's warnings, but instead she showed that animal empathy… and she… _all her fault._ It may not matter that they don't blame her, but the blame she had put on herself was too much.

She looked upon the mirror again, so clean and pristine. She gingerly undid the eye patch that covered her eye and those scars. Through her one good eye, she saw her scarred face. Initially she thought of the scars as a reminder to be stronger. Strength didn't matter if she couldn't make the right decisions with it. She now looked upon these scars as a form of penance. But… in a weird way… she viewed them as a way to remember mother. Maybe she would remember the bad times without her, but she would also remember the good times with her mother.

She traced one of the four scars she received. It healed, but the scars remained. She would have to be strong for the coming days. Father was no longer, in his words, _'hiding'._ Both Winter and her will be in the spotlight. Winter may not have completely agreed with the sentiment, but she did not do so out of malice. There was an understanding between her sister and her father. They couldn't afford to fight, didn't want to fight.

Winter's teenaged rebellion had been quenched and in its place was an emphasis on becoming the best huntress she could be. She accepted father's offer of training and, in a sense, bonded through that. Weiss was still focused on being the best. Yet instead of the headstrong approach, she took a more slow, careful approach.

Since, father announced that they were no longer ' _hiding'_ , she was going to be approached by people _faking_ their sympathies, not that she needed any. She needed to be able to take it slow and be able to fake a smile and pretend everything that was okay.

She remembered mother's words, _that she had to fake kindness and be cruel when she needed to._ She was strong. Even if, she wasn't always wise with that power, she will be now. _Nobody will ever take advantage of her ever again._ Gale was able to fake that empathy to her, then no doubt everyone was going to fake that to her.

Father had always warned her that people were jealous of them and would lie and cheat to take advantage of her. She finally learned that lesson… at too great a cost. The scars will make sure she never forgets that lesson.

"Weiss?" Winter entered her room quietly. "It's almost time."

"I know." That was all she could managed to say. Winter walked up to Weiss and gave her her a small hug from behind.

"It's okay." It was a statement to reassure the both of them. Eventually Winter broke away the hug and left Weiss all alone once more. She didn't deserve that. She clenched her fist. Maybe… one day… she can have another nice, quiet day drinking tea on the balcony.

But not today, not for a long time. She had a duty to uphold. She held out her fist and opened it. A small glyph formed in the palm of her hand, rotating slowly.

 _Maybe one day…_

* * *

He sat there in the empty ballroom. He took out a small photo and looked at it fondly. It was a picture of a happy time. It was when he shared his first dance with Willow. They had many rough bumps in their relationship, _some worse than others_ , but he loved her. Even if they sort of hated each other's guts when they first met.

But after that, they had many happy memories together. But… there won't be any more happy memories with her. He felt a small tear fall off his face and onto the picture. He quickly put the picture back into his pocket, he couldn't appear weak in front of everyone. He walked slowly out of the ballroom and into the empty halls. The funeral was starting soon. He couldn't appear like a sobbing mess, no matter how much he wanted to.

He had to lock away those emotions… for now. He had to be strong… not just for him… but for the rest of his family. He had to be strong. Especially for the coming days, his plan of retribution would be swift. He had to strike as soon as possible… even if it's just under a week, he would be hosting a fundraiser here, pretending everything was okay.

And it won't just be him, it would be his daughters undergoing a facade of peace and happiness. He had to uphold Willow's final words. He would be strong enough to protect his daughters. No one would dare strike against his family again after his plan at the fundraiser he had set up. _He would protect his family and strike down his enemies._

* * *

The funeral went by relatively quick. She just sat there, as time seemed to speed on by. People left her alone as she sat there in silence. It all seemed so unreal. Mother was gone forever. And she was alone with father and her sister.

While, she wasn't completely alone, there was still a certain sense of emptiness that came… after mother's death. She spent most of her time with mother rather than father. Yet the wound hurts equally for all of them.

She originally didn't like mother moving back in with father, even though before it was just ' _giving each other space'._ But she got to see her little sister again, and father kept his boundaries, _it was nice._ Yet… now it was gone and now she found herself going to father. They both loved mother, and it hurt all the same.

Father was no longer someone she despised, but someone she found herself going to. She may not agree with his decisions, but she now followed them again. Deep down, she didn't want to lose him too, she didn't want to lose anyone else.

She glanced over to her sister. She had an emotionless look on her face. It was eerie enough that half of her face was covered because of the scars, but the uncovered half had an empty look on her face. Her little sister shouldn't be like that, yet… that was just how it is. She wished she could be like her little sister, able to lock it all away.

Or be like her father and just radiate a cold sense of hatred. But her? She wanted to punch, to destroy something.

Ever since… _mother…_ she found herself training more and more and having father's help in training her, it was all she could do to cope. She just wanted to lash out and hurt the _monster_ who took mother away.

She sat there stewing in her hatred. She desperately wanted to remember the happy times, but this cold rage was all she could feel. Eventually the funeral was over and the very few people that came to attend went back inside the house.

Weiss stayed for a while with her, before even she left. It was just her in the back. She got up from her seat and went up to the grave.

' _Willow Schnee'_ it read. And with the inscription, ' _Loving mother and wife'._ That couldn't even begin to describe how she was.

"Hey, mom." Talking to the empty grave gave her some comfort. She couldn't explain it. It was… just a stone… but what it was to _her_ was indescribable.

"I want to you know that… we're coping the best way we can. We all miss you." She sat herself down next to the grave.

"It's funny, you know? We were doing so well with you… and then… you're gone. Yet… we're still trying to do good, in honor of you. We all want to make you proud. Hell, I'm trying to be better with father. And father is helping me train with my semblance… you know... to help me become the best huntress I can. But… I wish you were here. We all wish you were here, to see how well we're doing. Weiss even unlocked her semblance, so early too. You'd be proud of her."

She felt some tears coming out. "I… I… want you here. I wish I didn't feel so angry. I know you taught me to be better. But I feel so _angry._ I… I don't want to feel this way. I want to be happy. I want to be happy with my family, with you, with Weiss, even dad. But… that… animal took that away from us… from you… from Weiss… from dad. And… I'm scared… I don't know what to do! The only thing I can do is train. And when that's over, I can't hide the fact that you're gone. I wish… I had to the strength to handle this."

She rested her head on the tombstone and cried. There was a cold, gentle breeze passing by.

"Remember how…" She choked up on her words. "Remember how… you used to read fairy tales to me? And Weiss? Remember my favorite story? ' _The First Huntsman'._ How he was a hero that everyone aspired to be? How he led the charge against the forces of Grimm? I wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a legend like him. Remember how I promised to be like him? That ' _Winter Schnee'_ would be as legendary a name as _Monty Oum,_ the first huntsman himself."

Winter let out a sad chuckle. "Of course, that was a long time ago. But you never stopped me from chasing that dream. Even now, when I'm no longer a child with that sense of naivety, you still supported and encouraged me. Yet, fairy tales never prepared me for this. This… _loss…_ But… I will still make you proud. I may not reach the level of the first huntsman himself, but..."

She got up and faced the grave. "I will do my best to make you proud."

She placed a hand on the grave.

"And don't worry about Weiss, I'll watch over her. I love you mom. And I miss you."

* * *

 **Next Chapter: Beauty and the Beast. Edited/Beta'd by /** **u/** **Spartacus40** **0**


	5. Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 5: Beauty and the Beast

* * *

From the void comes a revolutionary tale, a lesson to be taught.

 _Once upon a time there was a girl and her shadow._

 _Hated and despised by the world, simply for being who she is._

 _She wants nothing more than to live her life._

 _Raised to try and rise above the hate._

 _Yet her life continued, unchanged._

 _So when revolution dawned, choice came with it._

 _To let things continue how they are._

 _Or to fight back and change the world._

* * *

The orphanage was quiet, not a soul stirred save for one.

She got up from her bed quietly. All the other kids slumbered and if she woke up one of the other kids, then the whole orphanage would awaken and all eyes would be on her. She doesn't want the attention. She grabbed the book underneath her pillow.

She just wanted to keep to herself. Outside was bad enough, she doesn't need that inside too. She went into the bathroom. It was well kept… for the most part. A single person could only clean the bathroom so well. She went into one of the stalls and sat down. She could read in peace in here.

She always woke up early and it got quite boring laying in bed all alone. Well until he woke up anyway. She had about forty minutes of peace before she heard the bathroom door open. She sighed and closed the book. The stall door opened and she greeted him.

"Adam."

"Blake." She was greeted by a grinning red headed boy with small horns barely visible. "Why am I not surprised you're in here? If I wasn't here, everyone would forget you're in there."

"And you're always bursting into the ladies' room. One of these days, you're gonna get in trouble," she retorted.

"Pssh. As if you haven't told me that before. Now let's go. If we hurry we can get breakfast first." He quickly left the bathroom, with her following suit.

As they walked down the long halls, Adam glanced over to the book she was carrying.

"What book did you steal now?" he asked.

" _Borrow,"_ she corrected him.

"My bad. What book did you _borrow_ from the library again?"

"It's called _The Sun Dragon of the North."_

"Is it more of that _hippie_ crap?" Blake punched Adam in the shoulder.

"Hey! It's not my fault I don't buy that White Fang bull that Ms. Silva teaches." Adam never did agree with the White Fang ideals. He argued that their methods let the humans walk all over them.

"You should at least respect her," Blake defended. Ms. Silva was someone she could respect, someone who could firmly stand by their beliefs… unlike… her.

"Yeah yeah. I'll cut her _some_ slack because she runs a whole orphanage. But I know you don't honestly believe that crap," Adam shot back.

"S...shut up."

"Fine, fine. But remember the last trip you told me about? The boycott? Don't know how you could still believe that _shit_ after that."

Blake tried punching Adam again, only for him to dodge it.

"Getting a bit slow, eh, Blake?" Blake gave him a pouting look.

"Don't you try giving me that look." Another few seconds of the _look_ cracked him. "Alright, you win. I apologize for my _crimes_. How should I repent?" He mockingly shook his hands in the air.

Blake tossed him the book.

"You want me to miss breakfast to put the book back?"

"Yep."

"You're lucky I'm a nice person."

"That's debatable." Adam grumbled a bit before he headed toward the library. Blake went toward the lunch area.

Everyone should be up by now. There was usually a race to see who got the food first. Food wasn't _scarce_ but the most fresh food was typically given to the first in line. It was a scarce commodity. Ms. Silva was already there, wearing an apron over her plain black dress, ready to hand out food.

"Blake." Ms. Silva greeted her with a cheery smile.

It was refreshing. Blake took the food and thanked her. She liked Ms. Silva. All the kids were too busy with that ongoing Kingsman case, it was always so depressing.

She preferred Ms. Silva's optimism. Even though the last time they protested… oh how she wished she could remain unshaken in those values. Adam and the rest made really convincing arguments.

She sat down near the back. She ate quietly as everyone came into the lunch room. The noise was irritating. Adam finally sat down next to her.

"I hope you're happy. I got the crappy food." He gestured toward his food.

"Maybe a little," Blake smiled. They ate in silence. Blake looked at the older boy. He was one of the few friends she had… maybe the only one. Sure, she occasionally talked to others, but Adam was the one who drew her out of her shell. It was nice to talk to someone.

Before Adam arrived at the orphanage it was just her… sitting in the ever-growing dark, isolated.

"So, I heard Silva is finally going to discuss the Kingsman case with us," Adam said, breaking the silence.

"Really?"

Silva, when she taught her lessons, expected everyone to at least be somewhat active in the discussion but that wasn't the problem, Blake spoke when she needed to.

"It's about _damn_ time. Gonna give her a piece of my mind. It's horrible what _they_ did to him. And she has the nerve to defend them." He took a bite of the apple before spitting it out.

While he went off on a tangent about unripe apples, Blake was conflicted. She wanted equality, but that seemed like a far off dream, a hopeful fantasy. Ms. Silva was something of a pacifist, like the rest of the White Fang. Yet… they weren't making any progress, and her hopes were growing more and more distant. Maybe… things had to change with their methods. When Silva brought them to boycott, it had ended in tears.

She sighed. Adam broke off his rant about apples and asked, "Something wrong?"

"No. Just… just drop it."

"But-"

"Drop it."

"Blake-"

" _I said drop it."_ Adam opened his mouth before shutting it. At least he was getting better about boundaries.

They continued to eat in silence. Blake usually stayed in the lunch area before the teachings started, while Adam kept her company. The lunch area was always quiet and peaceful once most of the other kids left. Adam usually grumbled but he didn't let Blake be alone. Still, it was nice… until one of the kids came into the room, shouting for everyone to come to the TV.

There was only one television in the whole orphanage, and much like breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it would be a race to see who could get the best spot. They got up and rushed to the 'TV room'. It was small and cramped, with a single television at the end of the room. From what she was told, it was a relic, as it was neither holographic nor projected.

While most of the other kids complained, she didn't. It was the only television she knew about and had nothing to compare it to. Unlike most of the other kids, the orphanage was all her only home. Velvet came to mind, she had a home before she came here. However, at least she got a new home with the Adels. She was one of the lucky ones. Some humans took pity on poor Velvet. But nobody would want a dirty Faunus like herself. Other Faunus wouldn't adopt them, they would be a burden in this age. She arrived just as the newscaster was announcing the death of Kingsman. Many of the older kids were outraged, Adam included. The younger ones, including herself, kept quiet.

The newscaster seemed nervous about even announcing it, quickly running through the story.

She could feel the rest of the room's anger rising. Blake would be lying if she didn't admit feeling that hate overshadowing her too. It was a miscarriage of justice, no matter how one would look at it, it was a travesty. The way that _they_ handled it, was perversion that it seemed like the world couldn't give a damn about one Faunus. But they cared.

There needed to be justice. Yet as the others cried for retribution, Blake held her tongue, questioning herself.

 _Should it be eye for eye, blood for blood?_ But even then, what could they do? They were kids. Protesting, boycotting did nothing. There was no change, _and there had to be change, fast._ The orphanage was on the brink of decay, and becoming more and more withered.

Nobody wanted a burden because _life wasn't fair._

* * *

Today's lesson was canceled.

Blake wasn't surprised. Ms. Silva had some sort of plan to discuss it as a recent event but that all shattered when the focal point of the discussion died. Adam and several of the other kids took the initiative and formed small groups discussing the recent turn of events.

She didn't join, whether from the guilt of those dark thoughts or something else, she wasn't certain. She had known Ms. Silva all her life, and… it would be a betrayal to think any other way.

She tried to read her book in the silence. She sighed and closed the book.

Usually her ' _quiet'_ place helped her calm down. _Usually._ Everything is changing, a slow change… for sure… but is it changing for the worse? Her quiet place wasn't making things clearer for her. Sitting in the dark usually helped.

Peering through the darkness with perfect clarity helped clear her mind. Yet this time, the unseen dark was cold and foggy.

Her hiding place was unusually chilling. She brought her scarf up. It was the one of the only constants in her life. People came and went, but she would always have this scarf. Even when Adam leaves, she will still be here, with her books and this black scarf.

She wanted to change that… she didn't want anyone else to leave. She wanted Adam to stay… because it always ended up with her being alone. Alone in this pitch black hole in the wall with nothing but her shadow to keep her company.

She wanted to change this… she wanted to know what was like to have family. What would she do to achieve that far-off dream? Almost immediately she answered herself, _anything._ The more she thought what she might do… the more guilty she felt.

She envied that everyone else had a family, that everyone else could walk in public without shame, that _the humans_ weren't called _worthless, less than them._ She tossed her book in anger. She should be ashamed! But she isn't!

She… wanted to run from these feelings. She didn't want these feelings! She got up in the cramped space and picked up her book. It was her secret book.

It was the type of book that Ms. Silva disapproved of and would make them stand in the corner as punishment. She glanced at the cover of the book.

She hated herself for reading this. The White Fang did _nothing._ Yet this book, was the exact opposite of their ideals.

 _'Peace is to be achieved through revolution. If the humans were to call them animals, then it should be made very clear they were the prey.'_

She wanted equality… but more than anything… she wanted the hate to stop. She felt her eyes water a little bit. She used to have such starry eyes with the White Fang ideals.

Until Ms. Silva thought it was prudent that she should bring some of the kids to a White Fang boycott.

When the tear gas came… her ideals were brought to question. So when the _radicals_ came to help… she saw something. The hate ceased, it may not have been out of respect, but out of fear.

A radical secretly offered her this book and… _she took it._ And when she read it, she didn't know what to believe in anymore.

She looked at the cover in shame. Three red claws marks were predominately displayed.

The title raised high above the marks, _The Faunus Supremacist Manifesto._

* * *

She had to remain positive.

The first week of the riots have been trying. Her brethren in the White Fang had been fruitlessly trying to protest the riots, _trying to get them to stop._

Those dam-… she held her tongue. Those radicals have been causing needlessly damage and destruction. They won't see Faunus as equal if they keep on this path.

They don't need another war. The last thing they need is another attempt to seal them away on some island. Some may recall the atrocities committed by the humans… but she saw horrors on both sides.

She had to be better. They all had to be better. And these riots weren't helping with that. All these _ignorant_ people thinking they were doing good were only causing immense harm to faunus-human relations. Ravaging the city won't help _anything._

She needed to keep the children safe. Strict curfews, despite the kids' protest, was for the best. She knew that there were a bunch of looters taking advantage of this. The sad part was that they weren't the worst out there.

Radicals were destroying public property. That led to anti-faunus hate groups going around enacting vigilante ' _justice'_ which translated to lynching any Faunus they saw.

The only ones even remotely keeping the peace were the police, huntsmen, and several other influential White Fang. It was a good thing that the White Fang had several reserve huntsmen and the occasional primary combat school graduate sympathizers.

Then there were others like her, hidden away. Well, not really hidden. She was too old to enroll in a secondary academy, blind to the more advanced aura techniques and her aura wasn't as trained, but her semblance made up for that fact.

Yet… she never used it. There was a no-tolerance policy when it came to… ' _enlightened'_ like herself. As long as she kept her head down, she wouldn't be taken away. If she was younger, sure… she'd be enrolled and given a choice when it came down to it.

But for now… better to pose as a mere ' _awakened'._ Some were dangerous, and some not so dangerous.

It depended on how much they trained, combat academy or no. If they were never picked up before eighteen, they couldn't really be enrolled in a secondary or primary academy.

Despite the riots, they were probably still going to be subjected to the ' _three-strike'_ law when it came to them.

If they felt the faunus won't be ' _punished',_ then they would dish out their own punishment. _._ She was quite knowledgeable when it came to this subject. She never wanted any of the children to be enrolled because they might be pressured to be a weapon.

A weapon for peace, but a weapon nevertheless. Huntress or military… she didn't want the children to see the horrors of war. Yet… all of them seem so eager to join in this… ' _war'._ It saddened her heart. Even Blake, who use to be so firm in the White Fang ideals, showed doubt.

Hopefully the riots will die down soon, and all of this will be a bad memory. She wanted the world to learn from these riots and to better themselves.

Not for them, but for the children. These children shouldn't be filled with hatred…but no matter what she tried to teach them, they felt that violence is the only option.

They need to feel that they aren't _a burden or worthless._ They need to feel like there can be hope for a better future.

She saw Blake walking by. "Hey, Blake."

"Ms. Silva." Her tone was quiet. Typical for Blake, but she known Blake long enough to know something was up.

"Anything wrong, Blake?" she asked.

"Just thinking about things." And she wouldn't be Blake if she didn't hide everything.

"Anything that I should know about?"

A guilty look, better lighten the mood.

"Is it about boys?" she teased. Usually Blake would blush at that, but she looked down. _Well, she failed in lightening the mood._

"Alright. Alright. I'll leave you alone."

"Ms. Silva?"

"Yes?"

"If you had two choices, but you don't know what to choose, what would you do?" Obviously Blake had a problem. She won't pry for now.

"Just follow your heart and do what you think is right." Blake looked unsure before she wandered off.

Adam ran by her and toward Blake. If she had to guess, it was something to do with Adam. The older kid was both a blessing and curse when it came to Blake. The kid was crude and rude but to be fair, he did break Blake out of her shell more than often. Now if only she knew if that was a good thing or not.

Blake was one of the first orphans here, abandoned on the doorstep with nothing but a black scarf and blanket. She viewed all of the kids here as hers. Adoptions were getting scarcer and scarcer. Blake was always a quiet child. Tucked away, none of the would-be parents here would adopt her.

Yet, Blake became outspoken when she found something to believe in. It made her proud to see Blake pick up the White Fang ideals. So many kids hated, _despised_ the situation they were in and wanted to blame someone. Adam was a good example of that. She didn't blame him. Life _wasn't_ always fair. Yet, he lashed out more often than not.

Perhaps he _was_ a bad influence on Blake. Yet, Blake followed him around. It was obvious it was a small little crush, even if Blake isn't aware of it.

Would she be in the right to tear Blake away? She had gotten more quiet when it came to her teaching the White Fang teachings.

No, perhaps she had some blame in it too. Some of the kids insisted that they wanted to do _something_ to make things better. Blake did want to attend some of the protests.

One of the bigger mistakes of her life.

Seeing the kids that she help raise, suffer like that. Something dark in her wanted to praise the radicals beating those responsible.

She chided herself afterward for those thoughts.

The riots were a result when those radicals got their way.

They only bred more hate. It was a miracle that the Grimm weren't attacking. During the war, it was a three-sided fight. Human, Faunus, and Grimm. Yet, some of the biggest miracles and displays of human and Faunus cooperating came when they had to fight the Grimm for the sake of survival.

If only the rest of the kids could see those displays. It gave her hope, gave the White Fang hope. Yet, they insist on hating and blaming humans. Were some humans bad? Absolutely. Yet, it went both ways. Some Faunus were just as bad.

Some kids were becoming convinced that Faunus could do no wrong. They had to see that humans weren't all bad. That there was some truly outstanding humans opting for peace.

She could only hope.

* * *

Adam saw the news. The riots were still going on, even after a single week, and he felt a spark of hope. They were finally fighting back! And winning!

Showing that they will no longer take the abuse, _the injustice, the hate!_ Silva was a fool to see it any other way. All the other kids would agree with him.

They would probably join in on the riots, if Silva wasn't so strict. She was a real _bitch_ sometimes, both literally and figuratively. The White Fang did nothing and she had the gall to try and say this is wrong.

It's almost like she wanted to roll over for them _._ Most of the kids came from broken homes, himself included. They know it's all their fault.

He never knew a peaceful life, all _because of them._ He was one of the more older kids here, despite him being a recent addition to the orphanage. He was ripped from his old life because of _them._

Everything he knew was gone. His family deemed _'unfit_ ' and ' _criminal'. Just because they wouldn't take the abuse any longer. What type of world allowed his father to be beaten and mugged and harassed nearly every day?_

He might never see them again. He kept quiet about that fact when he talked to the other kids. He didn't want to appear weak. He can't be weak. He would rather be mad and angry than to break down in face of this hopeless situation.

He watched the retribution to continue to unfold in the news. He felt weak and powerless nearly his whole life, watching as the humans were able to walk in public, _unashamed and proud._

They demeaned him just because of the horns on his head. Thinking that he was just a delinquent that stole and would grow up to be a monster! He wanted them to feel what he felt. And with the riots, they would know what it felt to have everything ripped away from them.

It was only a shame that him and the rest of the kids in the orphanage couldn't partake in this glorious revolution. It was the first time that he actually joined one of cliques in the orphanage.

They shared a common goal. The rest of the gang would sure love taking out their pain and hate back to those _racists._

Hosta would sure love to be one of those Faunus striking back at those shop owners, considering that they practically forced his family to bankruptcy and later crime. He felt sympathy for the rabbit Faunus.

He knew that Aster would be one of those people who would be on the front lines, fighting the police. They were part of a corrupt system that needed to be done away with. All it did was perpetuate the hate.

Even the feuding Metarugia quadruplets would take what was truly theirs, those slippery snake Faunus.

Hell, even Blake might show sympathy for their cause. Blake was the one he talked to the most, not about stuff like the riots, but they talked about other things. She was like an annoying little sister but in a good way. She was passionate but conflicted.

He was one of the few people that actually bothered to interact with her. Most people would just leave her, but he wouldn't.

He didn't believe in destiny, but when he saw her alone, isolated and in the dark… he felt something. He wanted to make her smile. No one should suffer alone. He later learned that she was crying because of the memories of that ' _boycott'._ Her whole world shaken and nearly destroyed. She saw those bastards for who they really were and she suffered for their crimes.

She wouldn't have to suffer alone. Then when he finally got her to talk more than a few sentences, it was pleasant to talk to someone so equally passionate when they got to talk. When she found something to believe in, she should no doubt, no hesitation but there was so few subjects that she was that compassionate about.

So… when she mentioned the boycott incident, she always choked up. It was one of the few times she faltered on her beliefs.

Even if it was those crappy White Fang beliefs, he made it his mission to change those beliefs, make Blake see the things the _proper_ way.

She always had her head into the books. She loved reading fairy tales. It made her believe in a world where humans and Faunus could co-exist, impossible as that dream was. They needed to cleanse the humans away. They couldn't live together in peace. He heard how they tried forcing all Faunus to stay in a single place, denying them a place in their kingdoms. He couldn't see how Blake wanted to live with people like that. It was starting to change, though.

Slowly but surely, she was waking up, no longer believing in those childish fantasies because _life wasn't a fairy tale after all._

* * *

She paced back and forth, shooting daggers at the man in front of her. She didn't like this man yet her boss instilled in her a sense of ' _honor'_. A favor was a favor.

"You owe me this, Acid."

" _But kids, Winchester!"_ she protested.

"Have you heard of the saying, ' _an eye for an eye?'"_ he asked.

She shook her head.

"Some of those bastards attacked a normal school. _A normal school._ Not a combat school, they took defenseless kids. My kid was there! _It could have been him!_ Just because we won't let the filth in so they respond with violence. And they wonder why we don't let them in. I'm not going to let disgusting act go unpunished."

"But..." she tried arguing.

She couldn't come up with an argument.

Who could?

Those animals were destroying the city. The huntsmen and the police could only do so much.

Who else who enact justice for those who were losing their lives because of this riot?

Who else could protect the neighborhoods?

Only the Champak Chabouk Cavalry could uphold the peace, punishing the wicked and protecting the guilty. But for the entirety of the riots, they were on the defensive.

The animals were stepping up their destruction. They could no longer afford to sit on their asses. _They needed to send a message._

He looked at the woman before her. She had hollow green eyes with bags under eyes. A look of an addict. Her disheveled dirty blonde hair was short and had the look of a bad haircut day. Her clothes was a dirty and filthy black suit with a red tie. Junior's taste in fine clothing apparently didn't rub off on her.

Despite all this, she was dangerous.

There was a reason why she was one of Junior's enforcers. He eyed her twin rusting gold revolvers, forged by her hand. There was a connection between the guns and her aura. She was one of the few that really trained with her aura. Between her and himself, the CCC had four aura users currently and only two of them particularly skilled . Yet the other two members were really unskilled with their aura.

It was their fault that they didn't even bother to train themselves. They took the cheap way to unlock their aura at the ripe age of seventeen. Then at the good ole age of eighteen, they could legally refuse academy training. It was a cheap tactic.

It would be a smart move but they didn't bother to learn _any_ aura techniques from anyone. The most they could do is have the basic aura setup, a moderate aura shield and enhanced strength. They didn't want to go through the grueling and long process of the training.

Both he and Acid had trained on the down-low, as it was ' _frowned upon'_ to undergo that training and _not_ be in a combat school.

If they encountered someone with a semblance, they _would_ have some trouble. However, every single aura user was valuable should they encounter any trouble.

As noble as the huntsmen were, they still allowed filth into their ranks. He needed her help, just in-case but she was a criminal, and not actually a part of the CCC.

Her allegiance was with ' _Junior', but favors were a powerful thing._

"C'mon Acid. Imagine if your nephew on Patch was next."

She looked up with a dark look in her eyes. "Don't mention him. _Ever. Favor or no favor, I'll rip you to shreds,"_ she threatened.

"If you're done, call the men. Have them bring the cargo truck out back. We're hitting Silva's Wayward Orphanage for Faunus Youth tonight." She flipped him off before walking out of the planning room.

The planning room was merely the living room, covered in CCC posters and guns casually strewn about.

He picked up the hooded mask. It was a dark orange, with two holes for their eyes. This was to be done in secrecy.

They didn't have the luxury of an actual mask, but they weren't in this for the glory. He put on the mask and took out his weapon. A simple metal baseball bat. It wasn't his _personal_ weapon, it would be ineffective in channeling his aura. He wasn't expecting any harsh resistance that could be traced back to him. Acid didn't care about that, she could always have ' _Junior'_ handle any legal trouble for her.

From his observations, Blair Silva was a middle-aged dog Faunus and nothing else. He looked at the picture that he got from the website. It displayed a tall figure with black hair and dark brown eyes that seemed to be hiding something.

His plan required taking _them_ , but Blair might be some trouble. If she kept her mouth shut, maybe she would survive.

He may not have any academy aura training, but he had enough experience wielding this weapon. And lucky for him, he hadn't even gotten any strikes against him, but that didn't matter either.

This had to be done. This would send a message to all those animals.

 _Eye for eye._

 _Blood for blood._

* * *

Blake was in her hiding place when she heard the other kids yelling and screaming. She closed her book and quickly became worried.

What was going on?

She went to the opening and pushed the bookcase away and entered the small library. She crept slowly to the doors as the screams continued. Her cat ears zeroed in past the screams.

"Winchester! We've got a semblance user!" A gruff unfeminine voice yelled.

"Don't use my name! Bitch!" An even gruffer male voice responded.

"Everyone focus on Blair! We only stand a chance together!"

 _Blair? Ms. Silva!_ She ran towards the door. It flung open and Blake stumbled back. She realized it was Adam. He was hurt, there was a large gash on the side of his head. She blocked out the conversation and focused on him.

"Adam! What's going-"

" _Shhh! You have to run!"_ He looked around the library. It was enclosed, with the windows barred. A cruel irony, it was to keep _them_ out, but really it was caging them in.

" _You have to hide! There's people taking us! It's just me and you!"_ he whispered.

"What are you going to do?" she whispered back.

He raised a baseball bat that he was holding.

" _Don't be stupid, Adam."_

"This isn't for debate. _You. Are. Going. To. Hide. Now,"_ he said with a stern tone while gunshots echoed outside the library. He gave her a light shove, pushing Blake further into the library.

"You're just a kid," she protested.

"So are you. But I'm older than you. _So hide!_ I don't want you captured! _So go!"_ Adam looked at her with a glare.

His eyes had a small yet roaring fire behind them, it scared her. She didn't protest this time, instead heeding Adam's advice. She ran back into her hole with Adam behind her. He grabbed the bookcase.

"Remember you can't trust _them_. Stay safe." Then he pushed the bookcase, sealing her in the dark. She heard the library door open through her Faunus ears.

" _Hey! We got another one!"_ The same gruff voice from earlier.

" _Eat shit, asshole!"_ Adam's voice rang out. _Slam!_ She heard what seemed like Adam's baseball bat hit against a sheet of a metal.

"What the fuck are you?!" Adam cried out in shock.

"It's aura, you dumb animal."

Smack!

She heard Adam cry out in pain. She covered her mouth as small tears formed in her eyes.

" _Fuck you!"_

 _Smack!_ She closed her eyes and covered her ears, but her Faunus ears still heard just fine. She tried folding them, but she still heard Adam struggling.

Smack!

Smack!

"Go… _fuck… yourself."_ Then she heard something being dragged out of the room… _Adam…_ She quietly moved the bookcase halfway and saw a hooded mask man dragging Adam out of the library.

" _Oh no.. oh no,"_ she muttered _._

She never thought _they…_ that _they…_ why would _they…_ Why them? They were kids… They weren't animals…

 _They were monsters… who would do this to kids?_ She… she couldn't breathe. She felt anger and panic. Everything was spiraling down. Her whole was changing for the worst. She couldn't hold back the tears as she realized that she was the only one left. The noises ceased suddenly, leaving behind a dead orphanage.

She sobbed into her scarf. She didn't want any of this to happen, but… the book was right, _Adam was right._ Was it her fault? She didn't know what to think anymore, _she just wanted them all back._

After a few minutes, she left her hiding place and carefully exited the library. The hollow orphanage looked like someone desecrated every single inch of the walls. Bullet holes stained the already dirty walls.

 _Everything felt so numb and empty._ She was barely registering the empty halls and then found herself standing in front of a body. _Ms. Silva's body._

She felt a stab of guilt. _She…_ didn't deserve this. Silva, who cared for her. Silva, someone she knew her whole life. Silva, the person who fed her, _who raised her._ Taught her the White Fang ideals. She never deserved this. _Blake felt guilty…_ because she had done nothing.

She spent most of her time _conflicted,_ when she should… should have been with Adam. _She could have convinced Silva to do something!_ To fight back. Instead of waiting for _them…_ to hurt… to _kill…_ she balled her fists.

She couldn't do anything! She was just a kid! She wasn't like Adam, ready to fight… _oh Adam._ She wasn't like him, ready to fight for her beliefs, whatever they maybe.

She couldn't trust them. The riots… they wouldn't care for her. She couldn't trust them. They would take her away. They wouldn't care for her… they won't help Adam.

So, she did the only thing she could do… _run._

* * *

She wasn't having a good day. Acid didn't expect Blair Silva to have a semblance. She dodged the rapidly sprouting branches from Blair's hands.

She kept on firing her revolvers at Blair. She jumped onto the wall and kick-flipped as several branches nearly struck her head. She took note that Blair was a heavy semblance user and hadn't shown any advanced aura techniques, yet. If a person had a semblance, then they had the potential for advanced aura techniques unlike any ' _awakened'._ Ugh… she hated her master's terminology. It reeked of old timeyness. _That wasn't a word._

Only huntsmen and certain individuals have a knack for advanced aura skills and semblance, but it was common for untrained individuals to be skilled in only one of the two, such as her.

She may have an untrained semblance, but she made up for it with her developed aura. It allowed access to semblance and many techniques. But the other two fools here, had undeveloped auras. Weak and unskilled, but they should last longer than someone without an aura… and one of them was grabbed by the branches, _great_.

Blair seemed to be reliant on her semblance, hopefully she wasn't as skilled with aura. If she was, oh boy, Acid's aura skills wouldn't be enough. Blair dodged the stream of bullets. Winchester charged Blair with his baseball bat.

They were the only remotely skilled aura users in this little group, given the fact that they had personal weapons. She landed and ducked behind cover while Winchester kept Blair busy.

She contemplated if she should use her semblance to even the odds. She loaded red Dust bullets into her revolvers. It was just her and Winchester. She looked at the poor fool constricted in branches high on the wall. He was screaming as the branches tightened, squeezing him to death.

His weak aura was the death of him. Still, he did managed to blow a good chunk off Blair's aura with his surprise attack. She would feel pity for him, but she hardly knew him. There should be another guy, but he was probably rounding up the stragglers. She got out of cover and fired at the branches. They caught on fire and she could see the panic in Blair's eyes.

She was screaming something about the children and how they were bastards. Acid tuned that out, like all the other times before, having a conscience during a mission was liable to get her killed.

Winchester let out a yell and charged at Blair while she desperately tried to put out the fire. Acid reloaded normal bullets. He probably put all of his aura into that swing, _dangerous and risky._ It could backfire if it wasn't his _personal_ weapon. She went through the wall and into the front entrance. Acid dove through the hole, firing the regular bullets at her.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

She stumbled back and fell onto her knees.

Her aura shielding shimmered, signifying that her aura was no longer protecting her. Often times, most people won't notice that their aura is gone in the heat of battle, but Blair seemed to know. Blair crawled on the floor, begging them not to hurt the children. She shot the dog Faunus in the head. A small mercy.

"We lost Larkspur," Winchester informed the other guy. She looked at the other guy, he was dragging some unconscious redhead bull Faunus kid.

They went outside and threw him into the back of the container. Winchester took off his mask and went into the driver seat alongside the other guy. He rolled down the window to talk to Acid.

"We're even."

"What are you going to do with the kids?" Acid asked.

"What we do with the filth is none of your business," Winchester retorted before he drove off, leaving Acid with a huff.

This was bad for business all around. She threw the stupid mask down to the ground. She wasn't stupid. Hopefully someone overheard Winchester's name and notice the mask.

She heard the sirens and gunfire echo in the city. She better run… or drive off. She hopped onto her orange and grey motorcycle and sped off. She arrived at Hei's club, it was heavily guarded, but the guards let her in.

"Where's Hei?" she asked the bartender.

"He's out."

"Doing what?" she asked.

"He told me to keep quiet, but it seemed pretty big."

"Mind telling a gal?"

" _Nope."_

" _Uuuugh!"_ she slammed her head into the bar.

"Rough day?" a familiar voice asked.

She lifted her head and saw her friend. An olive skinned woman with light grey hair was wearing a guard's outfit. A bullet-proof vest with a logo over a dark blue collared sweater.

She responded. "Yep. How's the gig at Charon Apartments?"

"Surprisingly boring. The riots haven't reached that district yet."

"Please, you'd get your ass kicked."

"Whatever, Sparks. At least I don't have to worry about getting a life sentence without trial if I get caught."

"Pfft. I'm too good for that, you should know better Umber."

"Look at Miss Druggie over here _._ " Umber slurred out.

"You're drunk again. Can't even hold your alcohol, how the hell are you even suppose to hold up in a fight?" Acid asked.

"Please. I don't need an aura or a semblance."

"You're just jealous."

"Whatever," Umber replied.

Acid drank alongside her friend.

"I think I need a vacation," she muttered to Umber.

"Take one then. You could afford it. I'm sure Hei's _other_ gal could handle things. Visit your brother on Patch for a week or so, it'll do you some good," Umber said with sincerity. She was always smart like that. Always kept her stupid ass from… well doing insanely stupid shit. She was a good friend.

"Yeah… you're probably right."

"First time you admitted I was right. Now if you could only say the same thing about your drug problem," Umber joked.

"I don't have a problem," Acid protested.

"So you say." Umber laughed and took a sip of the beer.

Perhaps she will visit Patch. A week away from the madness of the underworld and the riots will keep her from going insane.

* * *

"Columbine, I'm _very_ disappointed that you didn't meet the quota."

The deer Faunus before him cowered. Whether it was his group's reputation or his opposing presence, it did not matter.

"But Tavern-" He held up his hand and Columbine shut his trap.

"Ten human kids. And you got me five."

"They got to the school faster than I could take them," he protested.

"Take him." Columbine went to punch him but Tavern's aura protected him. The two guards hauled the protesting Faunus away. This was bad business. He didn't want to resort to children, but as the fear and hate rose, he must outdo their cruelty. He got both human and Faunus kids. Nobody would suspect his group. They wouldn't believe that his group would go for both of them, they would rather blame the other.

Children were especially prone to fear and suffering. He'd like to pretend he had some degree of morality to this, making the horrible people suffer horrible fates. Yet… morality had no place here. _Dirty business._

"A Mr. Winchester is here to see you," his wife said.

"Thank you, Cloche, dear." His wife left the room and soon a man with burnt orange hair entered the room.

"Mister Winchester," he greeted the man.

Unlike the previous guest, he stood his ground with some arrogance.

"I heard you wanted some Faunus? Young?"

Tavern nodded.

"I got about fifteen. Need a place to dump this filth."

 _Bad business._

"Excellent," Tavern said with a wide grin on his face.

 _Horrible business._

"So, is the Strangerhood really bad as they say?" Winchester asked with a sick sense of curiosity. It was intriguing to see how his vendetta hold up against the Strangerhood ideology.

Of course, it wasn't _as_ bad as they say. He'd like to have _some_ sense of human decency. No indecent perversion, prisoners were going to suffer, at least they can have some dignity in death. Of course, the general public didn't need to know that.

"Oh, it's a fate worse than death," he leaned into whisper.

Better to fear the Strangerhood than the Grimm. A thankless job. Winchester gave a small chuckle, _empty and hollow._ At least he wasn't heartless. Still…

"You're dismissed, Winchester. Tell our associates where the kids are and we'll be on our way." Winchester nodded and left the room.

Now, he needed to make some hockey fake rituals. Unfortunately, only a selected few knew the Strangerhood's true goals. Yet, people wouldn't do horrible things for the right reasons, but they _would_ do it under the veil of mysticism. He sighed quietly. The next couple of weeks… he pitied the kids, Faunus and human.

" _For the greater good,"_ he muttered quietly.

His scroll began ringing.

"Hello?" he answered.

" _We've got a problem,"_ a panicked yet surprisingly light voice that he had known nearly half of his life rang out.

That wasn't good. Huntsmen? Huntress? Dropout? Freelancer? Rouge?

"It's Lopez."

"Who?"

"The wolf Faunus! He's planning to out our camps!"

"Thought he retired," Tavern responded. Keep calm.

"It doesn't matter! If he outs the camp at Mountain Glenn-" _The Grimm would attack Vale._

"Alright," his tone dripped with finality. The voice on the other end silenced in shame.

"Sorry, father."

"Thank you, Margaret." He closed the scroll. This was bad. Bad, bad, bad. He might have to spend some of the wealth to solve this problem.

" _Clocke!"_ Tavern called out.

"Yes, dear?" His wife entered the room.

"I need a list of drop-outs and freelancers available in the area." Clocke nodded and left the room.

He began pacing. How dare he try and expose them? He was going to concoct some inane ritualistic punishment for the Faunus. His wife entered the room again.

"Dear, there's only one mercenary in the area."

"And their name?" he asked.

" _Felix."_

* * *

Blake hated the streets. The riots may peak during the night, but during the day it was almost as bad. Everywhere she went on the first day, she saw the worst of humanity. Then in a cruel fit of irony, she met a friendly shopkeeper, who'd given her some food and a place to rest before _they_ showed up.

After the beatings, she left to spare the shopkeeper any more pain. She learned on the first day, that _nearly_ all humans hated and despised Faunus.

' _For every single act of kindness by one of them, there are thousand more atrocities_.'

On the second day, she experienced starvation and dehydration. She felt like she was going to die on the blackened streets like some animal.

Her stomach twisted and shriveled while her throat became drier than Vacuo. She watched _them_ lavishly drink and eat. They had the impunity to watch her suffer while they lived like kings and queens.

' _There is a system of oppression implemented to keep the Faunus down. They take pleasure in our suffering.'_

On the third day, she stole for the first time in her life. Desperation overrode any sense of civility. They didn't understand her plight and condemned her. Her body still ached when they threw her down to the ground and kicked her in the stomach.

' _They will never attempt to understand our situation. And for that, they cannot be trusted.'_

On the fourth day, she was too weak to move. She felt so powerless and she hid down in a dark alley, staring at her shadow. She wished things weren't like this. She wondered what she was even doing. How could the world be so cruel to her… to Faunus?

She had done nothing wrong! She used to uphold the White Fang ideals and they spat in her face. She was beginning to think that human and Faunus simply couldn't coexist.

 _No!_

She shouldn't think like that. She didn't want anything to change. She repeated the White Fang creed to herself, trying to cling onto any remnant of her old life.

"To be White Fang means that you must humble yourself," she rasped out.

 _Is this humble enough for you?!_ she wanted to scream out.

No. She couldn't think like that. She had to stay positive. Things could still go back the way they were… she lied to herself.

"To be White Fang means to stay your hand where others will lash out," she once again muttered to herself.

 _This wasn't helping!_ She stopped repeating the motto. She wanted to believe that life wasn't like this. She desperately tried to imagine a life where she wasn't here. A life where everyone could live in harmony. Adam would call that a fool's dream, a pitiful fairy tale delusion.

The _Manifesto_ would agree with him, but Ms. Silva would shame them both. Yet… for all her talks of peace… she began to sob. Equality… would never happen… without _revolution._ She will never live a normal life… The _Manifesto_ and the White Fang beliefs conflicted way too much.

' _They call us animals– monsters, then we shall show them all.'_

 _'Human and Faunus must learn to coexist for the good of all.'_

She wanted to believe in both of them, but she couldn't.

On the fifth day, a creeping chill spread across the land. She weakly stumbled through the chaotic streets with her scarf providing very little warmth. She found herself begging in front of a small store with a symbol of a snowflake.

 _Help me_. She begged and pleaded.

Yet they did not help, claiming _they weren't a charity._ She hated them.

"Hey, you alright kid?" a calm voice asked. She turned to face the source of the voice. An older man with messy brown hair in a brown leather jacket greeted her.

He was calm yet looked tall and ferocious as a wild bear. It was an oddity amongst the yelling and screaming in Vale. The riots flared and calmed down with a sporadic sense of timing. She sputtered out something incomprehensible.

"You look like you could use some food." He was holding some bag with a label called _McDoyle's_. He gave Blake the food. She looked with awe… _how could someone like him do something that nice to her?_ Maybe Ms. Silva… bless her heart… was right about something.

" _Mogar!_ You done scoping out the joint?" a voice yelled out in the distance.

"Be right there, Geoff! Sorry, kid. Gotta run. The streets are no place for ya. Stay safe." He ran off to join his friend.

She felt something. A spark. She turned around back at the convenience store. She saw their evil judging faces. The spark extinguished.

Shouts of protest echoed behind her. She turned to face the streets. Faunus rioters were charging toward the approaching riot police. She _ran._

 _Perhaps… if had to come down to it, the evil ones have to suffer. While some others… they were good._

On the sixth day, she was feeling a bit better. The world wasn't a happy fairy tale like Ms. Silva would want nor was it as cynical as Adam implied. Humans were a bit of both good and bad unlike Faunus. She understood that now.

She felt like the world was no longer cloaked in am unclear veil. The future needed to change, all the other Faunus were working to change this cruel world.

What was she doing? She wasn't begging for food, but rather… she looked at the stolen food before her.

The world needed to change fast if it was cruel enough to force her into this unfair situation.

The seventh day was when the world gave her the tools to change the world.

" _Damn, damn!"_ She stepped on something sharp, cursing at the fact that she didn't have any shoes.

Cursing was a weird thing. Foreign words felt weird in her mouth. She never understood the appeal that Adam… found in… it. Adam… she missed him. She clung onto the single hope that he wasn't… dead like Ms. Silva.

 _No!_ For too long she did nothing! She had to find him! She had to do _something!_ _But she didn't know what to do!_ She had to think like those detectives like in those mystery books. _Think! Think!_ All she could hear was Adam's cries of pain… and that _name_!

What was the name?! She walked out of the dark alley. The damp and dirty alleys were one of the only safe places to sleep. The streets were dangerous and night made it particularly dangerous to transverse. Yet… when there was a rare moment of peace… it was quiet beautiful… the dark night sky. It gave her clarity, helped her think. Now, what was the name?

"Hey, little kitty kitty." She turned around. A guy wearing a paper bag over his head with a purple hoodie was leaning on a lamp-pole. He was wearing two watches… then he pressed a button on both of them.

Tiny metal sheets shot out of the watch and covered his hands like a glove. Large knives popped out like claws on his fingers. Blake began to turn to run but the guy raised his hand and a tiny ball that seemed to distort the very air swirled in his hand. He threw it at Blake. Blake tried to dodge as the ball slammed into the ground, encapsulating her in a bubble of distortion. It felt like her body was fighting to move, as she felt her heart slow down.

The man laughed as he kicked her out of the bubble. She felt something crack within inside her. It was like someone was crushing her insides. The man raised his claws high mockingly as he crept toward her. She couldn't help but see the mockery. Only Faunus should have those claws, _he was mocking her… and every other Faunus! And if he thinks that he could just do whatever he wants because he's human!_ They take and they take! Thinking that they could get away with it! For too long she has been docile, she has to rise up! There has to be justice for Ms. Silva!

There has to be justice for all Faunus! _Starting with filth like him!_ She got up despite the increasing pressure on her chest. She dug her nails into the palm of her hand, once blood was drawn, she let go. Something feral woke up inside her. Blood slid down her fist and onto the street.

Then more blood exploded onto the road. Her fingertips coated in her blood and on her... claws. The man seemed amused. He gestured for her to come over there. She sped towards him, claws first. He dodged with inhuman speed and Blake growled in frustration. He laughed, she charged again. He grabbed her by the wrist and lifted her high into the air.

"Gonna cut you up," he said with hunger in his voice.

 _No!_

She had to fight! She swiped futilely at him with her free hand. He slashed her stomach and tossed her to the ground. Her body recoiled as she tried to stop the blood. _She should be better than this!_ How can she help make the world a better place if humans like him lived while Faunus like her are begging beneath their feet. She won't _ever_ stop.

There will be a better world because… _of Faunus like her getting rid of filth like him._ The man stepped back as she was coated with a thin veil of shadows before it dissipated. Could it be? Aura? Like the stories of old? Heroes righting the wrongs of the world. The man conveyed a heavy sense of disappointment.

"Well, this got boring. If you ever become something kiddo, try to find me and we can have a rematch. Toodle loo." She charged at the man once more with a previously unknown vigor to her muscles. The man merely hopped several feet into the air and onto a rooftop.

" _Get back here!"_ she screamed. She went to the building where he jumped on and slammed her fist into the brick wall. It shattered beneath her fist.

She took several deep breathes… she shouldn't get angry. She inhaled, exhaled. A simple calming method Silva taught her. She will honor her memory by bringing back a world where the evil humans are punished while the good are spared. _Equality._ It wasn't a pipe dream anymore. The sick and evil man that attacked her didn't matter right now. She smiled as she remembered the name of the ' _man'_ that stole her friend... _Adam._

She would save him from _Winchester._

* * *

Days lost their meaning when the sky changes but the screams don't. She couldn't really keep track of the days. She counted the sunrises and the sunsets, and the sounds of revolution never ceased. Neither would her. She had been given a gift to change things for the better.

She liked this feeling. It was like before… when she was in the orphanage before her beliefs were tested, but they came out even stronger… and modified ever so slightly. Living on the streets had been her crucible and she had emerged stronger and even more convicted.

It was like… _destiny._ She delicately traced her claws along her leg. She couldn't retract her claws, but that didn't faze her. She instead took it as a sign that her mission was not yet done. She had been roaming around the city even more and more, no longer bound.

She stayed in the vicinity of the orphanage during her first week on the streets, but after getting the tools to do some _real_ good, she found the orphanage abandoned, police tape fluttering in the wind. It was better than sleeping on the streets.

Her home was empty and swallowed up in a well of despair. Everything had been either looted or vandalized. Graffiti stained her former home.

She cried herself to sleep the first night back. And the nights that followed. For a whole week, she cried herself to sleep. She was alone. The circumstances that forced her here had to change. She wanted give… take… _do_ anything to have another night with all of them.

She _would_ have another night with everyone. She _would_ save them. She _would_ save Adam. The world was going to change. The world would transform into something _new._ A world where she no longer needed to steal food to survive. A world where she didn't sleep in a destroyed and empty home. A world where Faunus would no longer forced to live like this.

A world where Faunus could live like...and with human. The second week, she took it upon herself to track down _Winchester._ The riots died down but not the fires of revolution. They could no longer ignore the problems, _the corruption, the hate!_ She arose from the darkened well, like a new woman coming out of the dead shell of her former self.

The night was cold and a black sea of fading stars. She couldn't move during the day. She knew more about aura than the rest of the kids. Adam never paid close attention to the lessons on aura. She did. It was like the books she read, the ability to change the world. Silva would tell them stories about how great men and women changing the world for the better.

They fought when they needed to, and when peace came, they brought an age of prosperity through mere words. The riots were just that. Perhaps now, things could change for the better. But she _wouldn't_ experience that alone. She needed to find _Winchester_ and save them. So, she found herself lurking in the shadows, _looking_ for anything.

This aura gave her the opportunity to do some good. No longer would _hate_ go unpunished. She sunk her claws into the wall and climbed as tiny bits of energy channeled through her fingertips. She had no idea on how she was going to find Adam and the rest, but she couldn't do nothing.

A cry of pain echoed the night sky. The riots were over… yet she heard a scream, a desperate plea as cruel laughter overtook it. She had to do something! She brought her scarf up, covering her face. She sped toward the source of the distress.

She found herself looking down, judging the monsters harassing the innocent. She heard their curses and threats against the Faunus. She descended down like an avenging angel onto the two filth. She barely managed stick the landing and hobbled slightly.

The first monster went down while the second one pulled something out, a knife. He slashed, she blocked with her arm. It bounced off and she slashed and slashed. The man blocked with his arms.

She managed to cut at the man's chest but before she could cut any deeper, she was pulled away by the second monster. She was thrown to the ground, and she felt something shattered.

* * *

He got up, beaten and battered. Being a pacifist was never easy. Manually lowering his aura was a relatively easy task. Aura never turned off unless one willed it. Getting beaten was another story. He had to be careful. He was on his second strike, another one and he would get a life sentence. Then there was him and the White Fang. He was in hot water with the rest of them.

Yet… when a tiny cat Faunus leapt out of the shadows and attacked the two men, he knew what was going to happen. A child gets aura, thinks they can take on the world, and they either die on the street or get picked up. The men swarmed upon the child when her aura shielding shattered. Maybe she would have had a chance if she had some training. All it took was a couple of hard punches and her aura was gone. He wasn't going to stand-by _._

He inhaled as his aura returned. The girl was down on the ground as they kicked. To save a child, he would break his pacifism. He wasn't going to kill them, that was only to be used as a last resort. He jumped in, pushing the two men away. He punched one man's throat, while another took a swing at him. He ducked and with his fists, uppercutted the man. His aura enhanced strength knocked him out in one blow.

It was easy… so easy to kill them. Of course, death was reserved for the ones who deserved it. To be a true pacifist was insane, because the world didn't work like that. However, the White Fang would disagree.

He looked to the cat Faunus. She was bleeding from the side of her head with it slowly trickling down. Bruises marked her face, swelling over her eye. This was just her face, hopefully the bruises weren't over the rest of her. This kid must be _seriously_ messed up. Well, aura did give people the power to act out their wishes and fantasies. The kid needed help. He picked up the girl and kept to the shadows as he made his way to the motel. He placed the girl on the bed and rinsed his hands. He then took out his medical kit and started stitching up the kid. Children's aura couldn't help for this.

The kid was trouble, but she needed help. He pulled out a chair and started reading a book, _Inter-dynamics of Human and Faunus._ His White Fang brothers would disagree with his methods. There were times to fight and times to stand down.

That was the main problem with the Fang. They never _ever_ fight, not even as a last resort. They would probably condemn him because he had to save the child. At least some of them were understanding, like that Blair woman. If only they understood that. The child began to stir.

"Where… where am I?" she asked.

"You're with me, kid."

The girl sat up, groaning in pain. "I… who are you?"

"My name is Tukson. Now would you mind telling me who you are and why you're lurking about, playing ' _hero'_?"

"I'm… Blake. _And they were bad people!"_ she argued. "They were hurting you! They deserved it."

"Did they really deserve to get beaten up? They're just small fry." he asked.

" _Yes!_ They're bad people have to be punished." A naive yet noble viewpoint. Still… there was a reason why he didn't fight back.

"You know why I didn't fight? Because it would only made things worse. Some people can't be persuaded to change. Besides they're a symptom, not the disease."

" _But_ they… they're like the people… that took my friends! People like them… _they don't deserve to live a happy life."_ She was beginning to sound like a radical… but… what happened to her 'friends'?

"Do… you have a family to go back to?" he asked sincerely.

"They… they… took everyone I know. And they killed _her._ "

"Killed… Ms. Silva."

"Wait… Blair _Silva?"_ She wiped her faces, trying to stop herself from crying. She nodded.

" _Shit."_ He sunk into his chair. She was a good woman, honest with her beliefs. Yet… if she died… this was one of her orphan kids. Nobody heard from her since the riots began. Everyone feared the worst.

"Where… what happened?" he asked.

"I don't know!" she cried. " _I hid like a coward. Then I… ran. I could have done something."_

"Hey, hey, hey. It's not your fault. Do you know who did this?" Maybe he could round up some more like minded friends and… Nobody should do that to kids.

" _Winchester,"_ she mouthed the word.

"And they took your friends?" Another nod.

"Well… _shit."_ They sat in silence.

"I have to do _something."_ Blake shattered the illusion of silence.

" _No,"_ he said sternly.

"But-" He raised his hand.

"Listen, you're a kid. A kid with aura maybe but a kid nevertheless."

"I have to do _something,"_ she protested.

"No, you're not. You're untrained, undisciplined, and liable to get yourself killed."

She sunk onto the bed. "So, I get this power to help people, and I'm suppose to do nothing with it?"

" _Yes."_

"Why?" she questioned. She was a child after all, he shouldn't expect her to be knowledgeable in the world.

"Do you know what you just did when you… ' _saved'_ me?"

"Two evil monsters got punished," was the immediate reply.

"No, you just caused a whole myriad of problems. First off, you could have gotten killed. Aura isn't a free pass. It requires focus and training. Second, do you realize that-"

She interrupted this time.

"People like them deserve to feel the same pain I feel! It's not fair!" She almost shouted. Hopefully nobody else heard that.

"People like what? Human?"

" _Evil_ humans." Well, her viewpoint wasn't completely black and white. He shook his head. Sadly, he's seen this before, child soldiers were a sickening sight. This kid was on the road to being completely fucked up, not understanding how the world works… or even the value of another person's life. She needed to understand that violence should be a last resort. He had to do something.

"Kid, my point is that people are going to be suspicious. And it's going to be harder on all of us. I'll be the first to admit that _some_ people do deserve punishment. But you can't just run around playing vigilante- especially you, given your age. Your aura is durable but weak. And you can't even pop those claws back in. You could do great things. And you squander it."

She let out a cry of protest and moved to get up, her body fought against her as the pain flared across her body. She ceased her attempt to get up as the cries of protest turned into small yelps of pain. She was frustrated.

"Then train me!" she shouted.

He thought for a moment. On one hand, he could turn her in to the authorities. Then she would be trained to become a huntress. A noble pursuit, given the right individual. Blake did seem to want to some good. The option that he never would pick is let the kid go. Blake would probably be dead within a couple days or picked up by the authorities.

Or… he could go with the kid's suggestion. He wasn't the most qualified to be a teacher and he wasn't the best person to raise the kid… but the kid… she had probably been living on the streets for weeks on end. That could really fuck up a child, he didn't trust the system to understand the kid's plight. He was worried that the kid might not see the value in life, could the system change that?

Perhaps. Yet perfectly, normal people with families could flip a switch and be perfectly fine with murder. With the way the kid was heading, this could be her future. That shouldn't be the case for this kid.

However, he felt a sense of obligation anyway he can. Maybe he can just train the kid a little bit. Train a sense of discipline into her and once she was ready, she could decide her own destiny.

He made his decision.

* * *

"Hey dad, you alright?" his son asked him.

"I'm fine, Cardin."

"Are you sure you don't to come with us to the movies?" Cardin asked.

"I'm sure." Cardin waved good bye to him and went off with his mother and _her_.

He closed the door and wandered his empty house. It seemed like yesterday that he had some CCC stuff set up here and they were planning on how to take some Faunus kids. It's been _four weeks_ , and he _still_ hasn't gotten any sleep.

Perhaps he went too far? Maybe he should have gone after the ones responsible. Maybe he should have done something other than giving those kids to the Strangerhood. Punishing them was one thing… but maybe that was too much for him. Why should he feel guilty? He hated that… and hated them.

Look how much damage those riots caused… but maybe he was too caught up in the moment? Acid, for all of her strung out and bitchy self, perhaps had a point. They were just kids. He shouldn't have condemned them to a fate worse than death, but what could he do?

The deed was done, _nothing to be done._ Their fates written in stone and that wasn't the worst of it. He got Larkspur killed. He had to leave his corpse at that orphanage.

Of course, nobody knew the true story but he died with a stain on his family. He had to comfort his daughter because he was her godfather. Whenever he peered into those bright green eyes, he was reminded of Larkspur's death. The man was a party animal, and he had many fond memories of that bald bastard out-drinking him. He went into the kitchen and got out a small bottle of beer, _cheap_ probably. He popped open the cap and raised it high.

"For you, Larkspur Fir. You crazy bastard."

This was something of a tradition for him now. He drank the beer before pouring the rest down the sink. He then made his way to the guest room where his god-daughter was staying. He looked at the necklace that held the Fir family symbol.

It was the only thing that Delphis had left of her father. Family symbols change over the generations, often getting modified or even changing entirely. It represented one's whole lineage, no matter how much it changed. He looked upon the purple-colored necklace. It had a one big, purple leaf with a trail of smaller fluttering behind it.

It was like a simple autumn wind. He doubted that Delphis would change the family symbol, maybe modify it slightly. She would wear that symbol proudly, in honor of her father. He could never hope to replace the man. _All his fault._ Yet, he knew what he had to do. He was going to make sure Delphis was safe. It was going to be penance for his failure to protect him.

The world was becoming more and more violent despite the riots ending. Just last week, two guys were attacked by Faunus but that was in the agricultural district. He wasn't wealthy so to speak, but he did live on the edges of the upper-class distract.

He wasn't worried for his family's safety even this late at night. Vale was in remarkably good shape despite the damage done in the riots, given the fact that it the majority of the damage was done in the more lower class areas despite the occasional attack outside that district.

He left his house and took a walk. It helped, gave him time to air out his thoughts. The CCC was the anti-White Fang in a sense. It was a noble cause. The death of Larkspur made him consider his position. Would he end up like his friend? Sure, he wasn't like Larkspur, a single father but… he would leave his wife behind, his son behind… _his god-daughter behind._ Perhaps it was time to cut ties. He walked pretty far from his home. He found himself in front of a convenience store, _SDC_ owned. He heard that they were expanding away from Dust, but the convenience store business? _Pfft._ Hopefully they sold energy drinks here, alcohol did tend to numb him down. Besides, it was better to be over-active than a sad drunk.

A father had a duty to be the best in front of his kid. There was an old, balding man at the counter. He seemed to be anxiously looking at him and glancing at the backroom.

"Don't get many customers."

"Well, your location doesn't help."

"Hehehe. Yeah." This small talk got awkward. He took the drinks and began walking home. With his scroll in hand, he made a call.

"Hey, Purity?" Hopefully his contact in the CCC wouldn't mind him leaving the organization. He'd rather spend time with his family now.

"Mister Winchester, to what do I owe this pleasantry?"

"I'm leaving the CCC."

The voice on the other end seemed surprised and disappointed. "Oh… that's a shame. May I inquire the reason?"

"I just want to spend time with my family, not taking any risks and whatnot. Nothing personal."

"A real shame. Though, I do hope you consider rejoining in the future."

 _Heh._ When he was needed, he'd answer the call.

"You know what they say about the future, twisted and uncertain. But I tell you what _is_ certain, if push comes to shove, I'll be there."

"Glad to hear it, brother. Stay safe. I'll inform Dawn about your decision." The call disconnected. He found himself at the front door.

He set the drinks down and plopped in front of the TV. After several minutes his scroll chimed.

' _On our way home.'_

He got up and stretched.

 _SMASH!_

It sounded like a window broke. He ran to the source of the sound.

A tiny cat Faunus with a scarf covering most of _it's…_ _her_ face and she wore angry eyes.

Eyes of a predator. He got the feeling this was the result of the attack on the orphanage.

He was already serving punishment by the guilt and the regret of looking at his god-daughter's face everyday.

This was no ordinary Faunus, he could tell.

Aura made this kid cocky.

She popped out a pair of claws from her fingertips. She adopted a stance, one borne out of an animalistic like desire but with a certain level of restraint. _Trained too._ He cracked his knuckles. He wasn't dying here.

They charged at each other.

* * *

 **Beta'd by /u/Spartacus400, Edited by /** **u/** **shandromand**

 **Next chapter: Gaston**


	6. Gaston

Chapter 6: Gaston

* * *

Damn Felix. With reports of Lotus in Atlas, he was sure that Felix was there too. There was bad blood between them.

And damn his old age.

He was shoved into a somewhat large metal cage, blood splattered the floors and the bars.

 _Damn the Strangerhood._

He scanned the area outside the cage. No guards… around. That may change at any time, though. He had to work quickly before they returned because he had a feeling he wasn't going to live much longer. He looked around the cramped cage and found a kid, probably a teenager, hiding out in the corner. Nothing but a torn t-shirt and shorts, colored a dark red yet there was no visible blood on him. It was someone else's blood.

The Strangerhood was seriously messed up. If he wasn't caught, he would have exposed this… maybe even saved this kid in the process. He touched the titanium bracelet on his wrist. It damped his aura by constantly giving out a small pulse of energy, preventing his aura from regenerating. He went to the boy who had his head buried into his knees.

"Kid, you alright?" He looked up, angry crying eyes met his hardened old eyes.

"I'm the only one left. I can still _hear_ their screams. And their eyes… _oh god_ , their eyes." His voice was barely audible.

He wasn't going to ask the kid if he was alright.

"Kid, what's your name?"

"Adam," he croaked out.

"Listen Adam, my name is Lopez." He paused and Adam looked at him, wondering what Lopez wanted. "Tell me something, do you feel hate?" Better to feel hate than despair.

The wolf Faunus had been in many wars. He even had a crew with him. They all died throughout the years, leaving him bitter and old. He kept on trudging like a cog in a never-ending machine.

"I do… but I feel… so… is it all hopeless?" This kid was probably shell-shocked from what he has seen. He might be liable to break down on him.

Adam was vital for them to escape.

"Listen... deep down, do you feel that rage pounding in your heart?"

Slow tears slid down his blood-caked face, lightly clearing away the filth as he nodded.

"Focus on that. Think about the people who did this to you. Focus on the hate, the burning desire to let loose that destructive force onto them. Fill that hole in your heart with _hate._ Block everything else out, the sadness, the tragedy of the situation. Now exhale."

Adam didn't exhale for a whole minute.

" _Exhale."_ Adam finally let out a deep breath.

"Now, I have a plan for us to get out of here. Do you follow?"

A nod. "Alright, what I am about to do _might_ be extremely painful for you, do you understand the risk?"

"Whatever it takes. I _need_ to avenge them. _This…_ shit like this… _those bastards…_ they need to suffer." He wiped a small tear off his face, remembrance of those no longer with him.

"Alright, now… after what I do to you… you're going to feel strong, with your wounds healed. Don't focus on the pain, I need you to focus on _ripping_ the bars open."

"Is… is it aura?" he asked.

Lopez nodded.

" _Do it."_

"Lay down." Adam shifted slightly before laying down uncomfortably on the blood-stained metal floor.

Lopez placed his hands on Adam's chest and head. As per tradition, a saying must be spoken. A vow, a promise. The choice that would decide this young man's destiny, his course forever altered.

" _Through rage and sorrow, our souls continue onward, our lives no longer bound and released in a fury. Rising above glory and virtue, we shall find our paths, our own liberation. Forever eternal, constrained by nothing, and no debts owed, I release your soul for you to shoulder your own burdens."_

Lopez's aura flared a brown hue before it was overtaken by a world gone red and black.

* * *

Blake liked mediation.

It was relaxing. Finally, she could have a nice moment of peace, out of time and out of mind. The best part was, it actually had a purpose this time, besides retaining her sanity. It helped grow her aura to be stronger.

The world wasn't going to change if she couldn't keep up. She opened her eyes. Amber eyes bore into the run-down world. The motel room was dirty and unkempt, a rancid odor permeated the room, refusing to leave. However, all of this was leagues better than living on the street or the vacant orphanage.

Tukson was out.

For the first day, he kept a strict eye on her, not allowing her to escape his sight. Then after another day and some evaluation, realized that Blake wouldn't hop off to fight. While Blake was disappointed, she knew she wasn't ready, her wounds evident of that. Tukson was kind enough to take her in for the time being, even more so to give her some training _for protection._ The atrocities of this life required her to be stronger.

If the world were to change, she needed help. Tukson had his heart in the right place even if he didn't completely understand her.

They had to punish the wicked, not let them fester like a disease but he did understand that humanity had some problems. Still, Tukson was a good Faunus, like the rest. He was out on ' _business'._ Although, being alone was eerily similar to… the lonely days during the riot, Tukson could handle himself and he wouldn't be taken.

She had begged Tukson to help with finding them and getting rid of _Winchester._ That vile man, despicable filth, destroying everything and taking her friends. She wondered how a man like that could be so evil?

She swore that she'd get Adam and the rest back. She never knew what she truly had before she lost it all. The orphanage was her home, maybe she shouldn't have been so isolated.

Adam… she missed him. She knew what he was trying to do, to help her actually interact with someone, to see what was wrong with the world… but also what she had. She missed all those little talks, she'd give anything to have it the way it was before. She clung onto the belief that she'd find Adam and make the bastard who killed Ms. Silva pay.

There had to be justice, an _eye for an eye._ Tukson was trying to convince her to try an 'alternative solution', and she started to consider it. As much as she wanted to rush out, Tukson had a point in waiting, however she had been waiting for too long. At the very least, he understood her. He wanted the man to get beaten for his crimes. Certain times, she was certain that they would go hunting, but something always stopped him.

It was better than nothing. As long as Adam was found and justice was delivered, how they got there didn't matter. _Or did it?_ It was a small, niggling doubt.

She got up and stretched. She could feel her aura improving bit by bit. Tukson was true to his word about training her. Aura was a part of her, it didn't define her but she defined it. According to Tukson, so many let their auras languish, they could do a great many things with it.

They could change the world for the better, but they either didn't bother or were part of the problem. Then there was people like huntsmen. They had the right intentions, but… they halted revolution, how could do they be so blind? Tukson was a bit like them.

She got up from the floor and grabbed a book from the nightstand. Tukson was reading it, so it must be good. Tukson surprisingly had a good amount of books in his collection, he should open a bookstore. It was refreshing to read something new, but she knew this peace wouldn't last.

Tukson couldn't raise her forever. He informed her that it wasn't likely that she would be staying with him. He was in-between jobs at the moment and… according to him, ' _not the best person to raise a child.'_

However, he was open to helping her for now, giving her a crash-course on education and aura training. He wanted her prepared for the world, both physically and mentally while she was staying with him, so she was ready.

He wanted her to know when to ' _stay her hand'_ even when he looked unsure _._ He was… ignorant in that regard. No matter the injustice, there had to be something done even if he doesn't believe it.

She flipped open the book, ' _The Third Crusade'._ Before she could start reading, Tukson entered the room. He saw what book she was reading and snatched it out of her hands.

"Sorry, kiddo. You're not old enough for that."

"But-"

"No buts. Anyway, I've got good news and bad news, Blake."

* * *

"Finally, you've got the time to meet me," Tukson complained as he sat down in front of him. The booth housed two Faunus. One was already sitting down, with a cold cup of coffee in front of him.

"Considering your current standing, be lucky that I even bothered to come," he replied.

"I know I'm not the… _best_ person in the White Fang-"

"An understatement," he interjected.

" _But_ , you do know the situation, yes? Blair Silva..." he started.

"An… unfortunate loss. And the kids..." he paused. The two had the most contact. Whenever Blair had something to say to the Fang, it'd be to him. "Yeah, about that. I've managed to find one of them about several days ago."

"You did?" he asked, surprised. The dog Faunus brightened considerably. He would know that if he bothered to answer his calls. Tukson didn't blame the guy, he was working with the displaced, innocent Faunus affected by the riots.

"Yeah, she managed to get a name."

"Splendid news. We could get a huntsman on them, and find the other kids." That seemed like a good solution.

Although, he did feel that perhaps, it was too easy. Only the most suicidal would dare attack an experienced huntsmen. He wouldn't be _properly_ punished. There are some lines one should never cross, and this ' _Winchester'_ crossed it. He could forgive a lot of things, but doing that shit to kids? Still, was it his place?

"Yeah," Tukson muttered.

"What about the kid?"

"What about her, Iteru?"

"Are you adopting her? Or giving her up to social services?" Iteru inquired.

Tukson put his head back and bore into the ceiling of the cafe.

"I don't know. It isn't my decision to make. If Blake wants to stay, then she gets to stay and I fill out the paperwork. If not, then I hope she gets a nice family." He was giving a lot of freedom to this little girl. Hell, this ' _Winchester'_ was probably living it easy because of his decision. Then there was the issue of the missing kids. No humans would be cruel enough to mercilessly kill them all… he hoped. They were probably caged up somewhere.

What kept him from going out and serving his own brand of justice was Blake.

Blake probably had so little choice with the lot in her life. This was important to her. He had no right to take that away.

"Then why hasn't she made the decision yet?" Iteru asked.

"She is… very _insistent_ that the man responsible gets… what he deserves. And she is very attached to one of her friends that was taken."

"While I'm sure someone within the White Fang could offer her a place in their family-" He was almost offended at that question, was he not White Fang in their eyes?

" _Heeello."_

Someone familiar slid next to Iteru. The contrast between the two was night and day. Iteru was dressed formally in a pitch-black business suit with his dog ears hidden in the slicked-back hair, an almost hypocritical approach to the White Fang ideal, _loud and proud_.

Whereas, the new arrival was a complete contrast. She was wearing a white, small women's biker jacket zipped open, revealing a grey tank top. Her hair was a loud peach and contained several streaks of purple.

"So sad that you didn't formally invite me to this little meeting. Don't fret over it, I came anyway." She flung her hair over her right shoulder and her tiny jaguar ears popped out of the side of the head.

"You should leave, Miss Eden," Iteru said with a strained straight face.

She responded with a toothy grin. Her grin composed of sharpened teeth, ready to tear someone up. The two Faunus had a tense standoff. She was one of the few Faunus with a primary trait and secondary trait like Blake. Although, it did take some prodding for secondary traits to manifest, and in rare cases like himself with only a secondary trait, he could would have never been identified as a Faunus otherwise. Despite that, it didn't stop the discrimination.

Iteru couldn't hold up against her gaze.

"I hope you don't intend to stay in the company of a hooligan like this for long. We'll discuss this later, Tukson. And I do mean _soon._ Do not keep me waiting."

Great, he was hoping that Blake would have more time to make her decision. She might be forced to make a decision soon.

"I didn't know you cared, ' _Mister Monsoon',"_ she said with a condescending tone.

Iteru gave her a dirty look before he left.

"So, what do you want, Violet?" The toothy grin vanished and was replaced with a serious look.

"I want to know. The rumors aren't doing it justice. Tell _us."_

Violet Eden, violent radical and unofficially White Fang, endorsing the ideals, but not the methods. The riots were their doing. Arguably, they were doing better than the White Fang.

Nobody would hurt Faunus anymore, but at what cost? For every human hurt, they would think twice before hurting the Faunus. For every racist business burned to the ground, Faunus could prosper. They could finally claim their livelihoods back.

Did the ends justify the means, though? Tukson remained silent.

"Do you really believe that _they_ can help you?" she asked again.

Tukson sighed, she was more trustworthy than the rest.

"I'll… tell you a little."

"That's all I ask."

"So, there's this kid. She was one of Blair's orphans." Violet's eyes bore into him. It was no secret that Blair died and those kids were taken. The mainstream media may have kept quiet on that, but the Faunus community was pretty tight-knit. That didn't even account for the underground media app on the scroll, where news traveled fast and uncensored.

"Is she alright? Did you win her over with your charm?" Violet fired rapid questions at him.

"She's alright. And I have no idea," Tukson replied.

"With all those damn books you read, I'm sure she'll learn something. Is she White Fang material? Or something else?" Violet asked.

"Recruiting them young?"

"You know how it is."

"Unfortunately, She'd probably take a liking to you."

"Well, how old is she?"

"About ten," Tukson replied.

"Damn. A bit young. Then again… there were rare cases with kids with aura during… the war," she trailed off. "Back on track, did she see or hear anything?"

"Only a name."

"Then why haven't you told anyone…" She paused and went into deep thought while muttering, "Conspiracy? Reason?"

Tukson was worried. Violet was smarter than she looked. Violet leaned forward and whispered, "Does… does she have aura? Is that why you haven't done anything? Because she wants to be the one?"

Tukson was never a good liar, it was better to admit the truth than to be caught in a lie.

"Yes."

"She wants _justice?_ " The tone was quiet as if it was testing the waters with him.

"Yes."

"Then why hasn't it happened?" Violet pushed.

"It isn't my place to choose for her."

"You're trying to dissuade her from seeking the man out, all under the guise of training."

" _She's ten,_ " he rebutted.

"You should still do something! Hell, I'll do something! Just tell me the name."

" _It isn't my place,"_ Tukson retorted.

"You've grown soft. You always wanted us striking back as a last resort. Now? I guess they have to jail and kill us by the hundreds like before the riots. This peace won't last if people like Iteru have their way. We have gained so much through _fear._ None of us want to lose that again."

" _As much as I want to, it's up to Blake._ "

"A sad, pitiful excuse. You're denying the kid a chance at closure- for revenge. If you're not going to do something, I'll do it myself." Violet got up in a huff and left the cafe.

 _That was bad._

* * *

"So, that's a problem," Blake muttered.

"I know I… recommended that you train and take some time to decompress for the time being..."

"I can't afford to wait any longer! I did what you said! I learned to meditate, I learned how to put the claws back! I just want this _one_ thing. Every minute that _degenerate_ walks free is a minute that I can't afford to wait."

Tukson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He closed his eyes. "You're dedicated, I'll give you that."

Tukson still didn't understand how she went from a quiet, obedient young girl, to outspoken the next.

 _Knock knock!_

"I'll get it!" Blake shouted and ran towards the door.

"Blake, wait!" She opened the door to find a grinning lady with a black, leather jacket.

"Aren't you a cute little thing." Blake was initially wary until she noticed the animal ears.

"Who are you?" Blake asked curiously.

"I'm Violet. A friend of Tukson. Is he in?"

" _Yes. I am."_ Tukson moved in front of Blake.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Not here for your charmy ass that's for sure," she muttered. "I'm here for Blake. Mind if I borrow her for a moment?"

"No-" Tukson started.

"Why?" Blake interrupted.

"Yeah, _let the girl choose."_

Tukson threw his hands into the air almost like he knew when he lost but he didn't want to stop.

"But-" He looked at Blake and gave a small look at her.

"Five minutes," he told Violet.

Blake got the vaguest notion that was meant as a warning. She didn't bother to read more into that.

Tukson faced Violet, they stared at each other for a couple of seconds. It reminded Blake of that one book Tukson had.

"Do you mind?" Violet finally asked.

"I'll be outside," he told Blake, totally ignoring Violet. Definitely like that book.

"So, Blake. I heard what happened." She gave a sympathetic look to Blake.

Blake looked down before staring right back at Violet. Blake could see Violet's face give a small half-smile, one born in understanding and empathy. She understood the need to seek out and have retribution.

"So why are here?" Blake asked.

"Because of this." She took out a small orange mask and handed it to Blake.

When she was handed the mask, Blake felt a connection to it. It wasn't a connection that drove her to find Adam- it was one out of malice. The implications of the masks swirled in her head.

"This is the mask of the attackers," Violet explained. "It is the mask of the CCC. They hide their faces, unlike _us._ " She paused as to ponder that train of thought. "Now, I only have this mask and not a name to go with it."

Blake opened her mouth before pausing. Tukson wanted her to keep quiet about ' _Winchester'_. She was beginning to suspect that maybe he didn't want her to choose what she wanted. She needed this. She needed to find Adam. He was the only one that she had left. Life had kept taking and taking, she needed to have one simple victory- so she could prove to herself that life wasn't all bad.

The rest of the orphans needed saving too. She hadn't socialized with them a whole lot, but they deserved to live a life like the rest of them. She was grateful that Violet gave her time to think this through.

"It's… _Winchester,"_ Blake finally gave in and told her.

"Thank you-"

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"Oh? What is it?" She seemed calm but with a tiniest hint of glee.

"If you find him, can I come along?"

Violet's small smile turned into a proud grin. "We'll see. Now, I gotta get going."

She ruffled Blake's hair before leaving the small hotel room.

Blake smiled back as Violet left.

* * *

Blake was reading a book, ' _Demon Deals'._ It was quite interesting. A warrior wanted immense power to protect the ones he loved but it became his penance. He had lost his loved ones' souls and his power turned into a curse. Yet, he came out more humble, vowing to use his power to help the innocent and eventually save the souls wandering the underworld.

It was a brilliantly written book, in Blake's opinion, except she was curious on the witch who gave the warrior his powers. In all those fairy tales, it's always a witch or wizard or a benevolent giant or dragon granting power. It was never expanded upon like in that other story, ' _The_ _Reflections in the Mirror'_. She wondered if there was more to that, or was it a mere fairy tale? Was there more than meets the eye?

Adam never liked fairy tales, but it would always have a special place in her heart. Those types of stories were always so carefully crafted- there was care and love in these tales even if it was a bit exaggerated. Real life wasn't like those stories, but she would try her damnedest to make sure that she and her friends would get a happy ending.

The sun was setting and Blake found herself slightly disappointed. Violet hadn't found anything, she had hoped that she would find _him_ quickly. Yet, four days had passed and still nothing.

She should have expected this, yet she was still let down.

Even if Violet found something, would Tukson let her?

She was beginning to think that he wouldn't let her. She would not stand around and let travesties against common decency continue. Why shouldn't she hold her ground?

She could see his point before, when she was weaker but now- she was trained. When she was untrained, she couldn't even put her claws back in. She used to be so jealous at the other orphans with their own special traits.

It was a symbol of their Faunus heritage. She couldn't believe that she used to think those dark thoughts wishing she wasn't a Faunus. Now, having these claws, she wouldn't have it any other way. It was a focal point of her pride.

Popping those claws back in took immense focus. Tukson was one of those rare Faunus with only secondary traits, and she was even more lucky that she had the same trait as him. It was painful too, the first time forcing them back in.

It was like nails being shoved into her fingers- which was almost exactly what was happening. She had to find her ' _center'_ which was easier than expected. She just needed to calm down.

Aura was slightly harder. Peace of mind only got her so far with aura. Meditation helped strengthen her aura, but to efficiently use aura, one needed a strong and able body. Tukson gave her basic training, a simple regimen to strengthen herself. She could feel it pulsating more freely than it did before.

Yet, she could not help but feel Tukson was holding back.

* * *

Iteru sighed and shuffled the papers he was overseeing. It was demoralizing to say the least.

Managing the Vale branch of the White Fang was... difficult, to say the least. With their leader based in Mistral, he was effectively on his own.

The White Fang was fluctuating heavily with its membership. The riots had taken a huge toll. Many were jumping ship- becoming turncoats in the sense. Most of them condemned the riots when they first started, but the discrimination didn't take notice of their efforts. They were beaten like the rest of the radicals.

It was utterly disconcerting watching so many of his comrades throw away their oaths. Then, some of the other rapscallions thought the White Fang was accepting the more violent-ilk.

The White Fang was changing, perhaps he should just resign while he can.

 _No._

He had a duty.

He could help them.

He _should_ help them. He was supposed to be a leader, but he was failing in that regard. He needed to be better. They may see this peace after the riots as a victory, but it was merely the calm before the storm.

For too long, he thought things could be better- that everything would work out. How could he expect that dream to be achieved by doing nothing? These were people's lives, he had to help them _himself._ He could no longer expect someone else to pick up the slack.

He would have to work for this. Through sweat and tears, he was going to improve this quality of life.

Starting with Blake, the girl needed a home. Tukson, for his ever-changing self, was not suitable. The man interchanged pacifism and violence as easily as flipping a coin. He was not properly suited for teaching a young, susceptible girl.

Violence shouldn't be the answer, even as a last resort. It was an easy way out- with long term damages. Besides that, living out of a motel was not the right place for the girl.

He got up from his desk and glanced over to the picture stationed at his desk.

It was when they first formed the Vale branch of the White Fang. Everyone was there. Tukson was there- it was funny to think that Tukson was the only one who was almost exactly the same. There were some others, that he recognized. Hell, even Violet was there. It was before… he shuddered thinking about it. It was one of the few things that shook his faith.

In the photo, he had his arm around Blair. It was before she decided to open up the orphanage. It took up all her time and he didn't see her anymore after that. He did keep in touch with her, whether out of a sense of obligation or because of that one night with Blair; he did not know.

The riots had severed that connection and when the dust settled, she was dead and her kids gone.

He wasn't honoring her memory by being a _coward._ He had waited four days on Tukson. He made his way out the door. He wasn't going to take this- _not anymore._

* * *

Violet finally found the son of a bitch. Four whole days of snooping had finally produced results. She stalked afar and saw the bastard entering his house.

It would be a snap to break in and kill him. Yet, with all of Tukson's blabbering, was it really her place? She knew what is was like wanting- no, _needing_ to get revenge. It was like a deep, unrelenting hunger that needed to be satiated. She gingerly placed a hand on her stomach in remembrance. A slight chill passed over her.

Tukson did have a point. It was not her place.

She tried to fathom the idea that Blake- that sweet, naive girl- would be capable of such an act. Despite the things she had witnessed, it was never easy picturing little kids becoming weapons. Aura transformed them into something more than a child. At least, Blake had someone. She couldn't fathom what would happen if Blake was living on the streets.

Blake deserved a chance to be a little kid, even for the faintest of moments.

She was unsuited for that, despite previous aspirations, but she made up her mind. She would oblige Blake's one request and let Tukson handle the aftermath. He could be trusted to make sure that would be Blake's one and _only_ time. Having aura was a life-changer, for better or for worse. After this, perhaps Blake could live a life like a normal kid.

Blake didn't deserve a life of violence. She could turn out to be a monster. Worst case scenario, she could turn out to be a sociopath. Best case, she would turn out to be someone with no qualms with killing. Neither option was ideal for a child.

Yet, if she didn't give Blake the closure she needed, then something worse might happen. It would consume her.

Besides, it wasn't like she was going to be putting Blake in any danger. It's not like the guy had an aura or anything. She would be with her every step of the way. However, she needed to find out what happened to the other kids.

She was going to go get Blake, have her beat down on the guy, and then find out what he did with the kids. There was still a nagging thought in the back of her mind. What was Blake going to do once everything was said and done? Does a little kid like her need blood on her hands? The bastard deserved punishment, but would that warrant Blake killing the guy?

She could see why Tukson hadn't done anything yet because of this girl's wishes. She wanted to kill the guy and be done with it, but… it was not her place.

She arrived at the motel. She went up to Blake's room and held her ear to the door. It sounded like there was the only person in there. She knocked twice. The door creaked open a nudge before those amber eyes spied who it was.

"Hey, uh, Violet."

"Is Tukson in?" Violet asked.

Blake shook your head.

"Did you find something?" she asked eagerly.

"I found _him._ "

"Can I come? He needs to pay for what he's done! And I've got to find Adam."

Violet tilted her head. Was Adam her friend? Brother? Something else? Whatever the case, absence made the heart grow fonder. Or a dangerous obsession. Besides, she could tell this Adam was important to Blake.

"Alright. But you have to listen to me."

Blake nodded her head with a smirk. Eagerness to find Adam or for revenge? She grabbed her scarf and left the motel room with Violet.

* * *

Blake walked ahead of Violet.

The roads had been closed down for the time being. She didn't bother to understand the specifics, but the city needed money to revamp the worn-down streets.

She just wanted this fear- this uncertainty- to be over. These last few days of normalcy had been under the dark cloud of uncertainty. When she was surviving on the street, all those fears had to be pushed back.

Now, those fears returned two-fold. She needed this. Once she found everyone, things were bound to get better.

"Violet! Blake!" Two voices broke her train of thought. One was familiar and the other was not. The other guy's hair was disheveled with dog ears poking out.

Violet and Blake turned around. They spied two figures catching up to them. Tukson and another guy stopped them.

"What were you thinking?" Both of the guys shouted. They went up to Violet and began yelling at her.

"What were you thinking?" they shouted again.

"She's just a kid!" _No._ She wasn't. Her aura gave her a greater purpose. She couldn't do nothing. She had to do what was right.

"She needs a home! She's just a kid! She needs a childhood. Not… not whatever you were planning!" the other person shouted. She had a home, before those bastards took it away.

"Were you planning on having this kid, Blake…" the other person continued.

"No…. I don't know! Maybe. It's not like Tukson is better," Violet protested.

She could see where this was going and began to edge away from the adults.

She managed to slip away unnoticed.

Violet told her the address ahead of time. It was her chance to do some good. She sprinted all the way to the house.

She found herself staring at the house in envy. That bastard didn't deserve a happy life. Yet, she pondered about the ethics of what she was about to do. Tukson always made it seem like they were just going to beat the guy as a lesson, but Violet hinted at something _darker._

Was she ready to take a life?

Something in her wanted to satisfy that urge. It was true that justice needed to be served, but how far would she go? Actually being confronted by this notion was territory that Blake didn't want to tread. Violence was a tool, but… she could already hear Silva's teachings.

It was a slippery slope. It was akin to playing with fire, yet she needed the flames to drive back the darkness.

 _Demon Deals_ had a similar dilemma in the later chapters. The warrior slaughtered a coven of witches in his quest. A lone, surviving witch came back with a vengeance. Art tended to imitate life. However, this wasn't a story. One mistake could end in disaster. If there was one thing right with fairy tales, it was that _actions have consequences._

When she was on the street, a single mistake meant starving for the whole day. She had to be careful. She swore that she would find Adam and punish the man responsible. Years of White Fang teachings flooded back to her.

It was easy to push them back when she was homeless. She had a comprise. Pacifism wouldn't work, so she turned to other methods. Did these methods change her goals?

She had a feeling that the world might be better without this man.

Silva, however, would not approve. In fact, she might even despise Blake. Besides, the man couldn't tell her where the other kids were if he was dead. This didn't change the fact that the man needed to suffer.

Blake made up her mind.

Peace through fear. If she wanted all humans dead, then she was no better than them because that would mean wiping out the good with the bad. No, she had to be better. Since humans wanted all Faunus dead or enslaved, then she wouldn't abide by that disgusting principle. She was better than them.

She would make him see the consequences of his actions.

She went up to a window and put up her scarf then channeled her aura and smashed the window open. No sooner than five seconds, a man came to her position quickly.

This _filth_ thought it would be a good idea to hurt children. Well, this was karma! How about fighting someone that could fight back?!

She unleashed her claws and went into a basic fighting stance that Tukson taught her.

The man cracked his knuckles. _Cocky bastard!_ She would show him!

They both charged at each other. He threw a wide swing but Blake ducked under and delivered a slashing strike at the man's face.

To her surprise, it was like metal… it was... _aura._ This man had aura… she realized she made a big mistake. The man had a smug grin as Blake scrambled to get away. She turned around and made a mad dash back to the window.

Winchester grabbed her by the shoulder and flung her to a wall. There was a sizable dent in the wall from the wall. As she struggled to get up, Winchester picked her up and tossed her across the room. Her aura shattered as she tumbled on the floor.

"Stay down," he threatened her.

 _No!_ She couldn't stay down!

She got up. She couldn't run! Then she charged at him again.

He punched her right in the face and she crumpled onto the floor.

"Don't make me do this."

This was humiliating- degrading!

She had to run! She had to escape!

This man had robbed her of her chance for retribution. She feebly tried crawling away.

" _Just stop!"_ He kicked her in the ribs.

 _Crack!_

She got a painful feeling that her ribs were broken.

Had to run! She failed. She grasped her side as pain pulsated.

She crawled again and time seemed to slow down as his foot got closer and closer. A shadow briefly enveloped her before a force pushed her a foot away.

The shadow dissipated as Winchester kicked it. Blake got up slowly, hand clutching her side. The man gave a surprised look before quickly charging, probably in an attempt to catch her off guard.

She felt a cold feeling swirl around her body, starting from her foot before accelerating up her body. There was a brief shadowy outline around her before it gave a light shove, pushing her out of harm's way. She glanced at her shadow. A darkened mirror, taking the place of her, giving her a chance to run.

 _No!_

This might be her only chance to strike back!

With renewed vigor, she began her assault again despite the searing pain.

She used these shadows to her advantage. Every dodge, every punch she threw, she left a shadowy imprint. It was a flurry of shadows, with Blake hidden and protected within and left Winchester blindly punching at her afterimages.

After several strikes, his aura shattered and the man managed to strike Blake down to the ground, dispelling her shadows away.

"Why are you here?" he questioned her as he grabbed her by the throat. The previous strike had disorientated Blake but she managed to respond.

"You took them… _where are they?"_ It came out both with hostility and genuine hurt.

The man looked unsure before her gained a face of resolution. Blake feared what it meant but still continued to push.

" _Tell me!"_ she shouted.

He brought her close to his face. "This secret will die with you. They're with the _Strangerhood."_

 _Who? What?_

She assumed that the man thought that gesture to be a form of kindness. That was the final straw! It was an insult to everything she tried to accomplish! She didn't need this monster's pity. All she could do was leave an imprint, she couldn't run, _not here!_

The man brought his hands to Blake's throat and squeezed.

She barely managed to channel that same swirling darkness into something tangible. The shadow shot out of her, instead of leaving an imprint. The shadow was weak and even more formless than those other shadows. It was a pure darkness, yet unfocused.

The shadow charged, claws drawn. It was a moment of rage and spite. Blake didn't realize it until it was too late. The shadow's brief existence solely comprised of slashing the man's throat, dropping Blake.

Blood spurted onto Blake's face. Her eyes widened and she was immediately regretful of that action. She almost took off her scarf to hurl but it wasn't like the books. She didn't feel sick, she felt numb and horrible.

" _Oh god!"_ Both her and another voice shouted. She turned to see a women and two kids standing in the doorway of the room.

She was a monster! Just like him! She stooped to their level!

The kid's eyes widened before turning to her and the corpse, and yelled in worry and hate, " _Dad!_ I'll make you pay!"

A brief flash of brown enveloped the boy while he sprinted toward Blake.

She had to run, from the boy, from her shame, from her disgust!

He swung a powerful hit at her side. A nearly explosive, concussive force imploded her ribs even more. Another swing toward her head. Instinctively, another shadow took her place but that didn't deter the boy's attack. She kept summoning those shadows, bringing forth another swarm of shadows. Every movement brought a dark cloud to hide in.

She had to run!

The girl charged at Blake too. Blake's shadow pushed herself back and she began sprinting back to the window.

She managed to whimper away as the children stopped pursing and went back to the house, to… the body of the man she killed. The happy life that she stole away from those two kids.

She didn't even remember collapsing but she remembered that she never did stop _running._

* * *

Adam ripped the metal wrist-band off Lopez. His aura had rejuvenated him to a certain extent. His hunger staved off for now.

"Good." The man spoke in an accent that he couldn't identify. "I need you to stay behind me."

"I can help!" After being trapped for so long, he needed payback. Lopez ignored him and gripped the bars of the cage. He closed his eyes and he started breathing heavily.

For everyone that was butchered- _torn apart_ , he had to deliver vengeance twice-fold. They all deserved to burn in fucking hell. They were all horrible and deserved to die.

Watching kids- good kids who did nothing wrong- slowly tortured for no good reason, had shown Adam the truth. All of them were horrible human beings.

He had heard something from Blake's book babblings before, ' _an eye for an eye.'_

Blake never seemed properly convinced of the line-but for him- it was the only thing that made sense. Those humans had it so damn easy and yet, they were abominations who pulled shit like this! So damn this old man! He wasn't going to do nothing!

"Are you listening?!" he almost shouted before realizing that they might come back.

He didn't want to be dragged out, kicking and screaming with them slowly cutting him from head to toe. Nor did he wanted his body beaten black and blue, whimpering and begging for them to stop.

"Do you really want to fight?" Lopez asked quietly.

"More than anything," Adam replied.

"Even if it means killing another person?" Lopez asked again.

"You really think that I care about them?" All of them deserved to burn. They perpetrated suffering like this.

"Fine, but don't do anything stupid. Your aura is not that strong. Besides, despite it being recently unlocked, your exhaustion has weakened it."

Lopez ripped the bars off the cage and handed one of the bars to Adam.

As he handed the metal bar to Adam, he could feel some of his energy channel into it. The energy seemed unstable, impersonal.

"Alright, keep your head down." They left the cage and crept out of the abandoned building they were in.

"What is this place?"

"Mountain Glenn." A distant roar echoed in the distance. "Wherever the Strangerhood goes, the Grimm are never that far behind. Or, they go to where the Grimm are at and attract even more."

" _Bastards."_ It was understood on a fundamental level that the Grimm were the enemies of everyone and they had the nerve to work with them. And they called Faunus monsters?

"Indeed," Lopez replied.

He began to walk around the corner of a building before Lopez pulled him back. He put his finger to his lips and pointed to a pair of people near a broken streetlamp.

They were wearing some masks that were ugly. Ugly in a sense that it had a disgusting amount of effort to them. It covered the whole of their face, with orange eyes and teeth. Orange eyes of hatred and ravenous teeth, a mask of Grimm. The true face of man.

They would wear those masks when they… killed them. They were also draped in ceremonial robes, giving off a sense of elegance that they did not deserve.

Lopez whispered, "Stay here."

He moved so quickly that Adam could barely see him.

Lopez smashed both of their heads in with one quick blow. _One, two_ , and they crumbled. He gestured for Adam to come to him. Adam ran over and Lopez gave him a short sword. There was still blood on it, giving off a red tint. He dropped the metal in favor for this weapon. His aura flowed through this weapon a little better than that metal bar.

They continued to stalk through the empty streets. Adam eventually saw a parked airship. He looked to Lopez who merely nodded. It looked abandoned.

They could escape! But, Adam wanted to raze this place to the ground with everyone in it.

Then he realized that Blake was still in Vale, all alone.

The last remnant of a ' _normal'_ life before they desecrated it. He felt responsible for the girl, she was his. He only hoped that Blake was all right.

After he burned this place to the ground. Then, he would never let Blake out of his sight.

Seeing the horrors that was wrought upon them, he never wanted Blake to see that. She was younger than he was. The endless days had him worrying about the other kids. Now, Blake was all he could think about. And how she wasn't there. She was all he had now.

Some part of him worried that Blake wasn't alright- that she was in trouble.

He wasn't going to let the world or the humans hurt Blake.

They managed to reach the airship before someone shouted, "Lopez, you son of a bitch!"

They turned around and saw a large group of those robed cultists. There was about eleven of them with a large one in the middle.

The large one had some sort of ceremonial curved sword with a shining gold hilt. While the others had ceremonial daggers with plain hilts.

"Tavern," Lopez called out.

Tavern merely gestured for his men to attack. Lopez charged with Adam lagging behind.

Tavern led the charge with everyone attacking Lopez from all sides. It was amazing seeing Lopez in action, he was faster than any mere man, he was a machine.

Adam stabbed those on the outskirts, easing up the assault on Lopez.

He managed to get three of them. He stabbed and stabbed. He pierced two through the ribs, and another through the face. He was having a significantly easier time killing them because of his aura.

Until the next three had aura. They slashed his face, but his aura managed to hold.

He fought dirty with them, punching and biting alongside his wild sword swings.

Through this, he slashed their throats but at the cost of his aura shielding broke. It was pure luck that he managed to kill them, clearly they had underestimated him. He turned to see Lopez being tackled by the rest of the men.

"They don't call me Lopez the Heavy for nothing!" He managed to throw off the rest of the men, while Tavern leapt into the air. Adam watched in amazement before realizing his opportunity. He stabbed the men sprawled onto ground.

Lopez and Tavern were engaged in aerial combat before crashing down with a massive thud.

Lopez stomped the ground, releasing a massive shockwave that knocked Tavern off balance. Lopez, faster than the blink of an eye, was already locking swords with Tavern again.

Adam felt completely helpless watching the two blurs fight. Two shattering sounds accompanied the clanging of the swords. Tavern leapt back and shot out his free hand, firing red lines of energy at Lopez which forced Lopez to keep his distance.

Tavern kept his stance, completely ignoring Adam.

He took this as his chance.

He jumped onto Tavern's back and jammed his sword into the man's shoulder.

"Arrgh!" Tavern yelled while Adam fell off his back.

Lopez sped up to Tavern and rammed his sword straight into the man's chest.

Tavern crumbled onto the floor, coughing up blood. He took out a picture and seemed transfixed by it. Adam faced the man and slapped the photo out of his hand before Tavern fell face first onto the floor, _dead._

Adam was exhausted, but Lopez just seemed to be getting started.

"Let's go, Adam."

They made their way to the airship. Adam hopped into the passenger seat and took deep breaths.

This was _exhilarating!_

Vengeance brought a sense of calm. Yet, vengeance was lurking around the edges of that peace. That wasn't a bad thing. This world had to change.

They sat in silence before Lopez spoke up. "You have a home, kid?"

"Not really."

"You have no one?"

Adam thought. He had to hope that Blake was alright.

"Perhaps," he said wistfully.

"Oh hm. A girl?" Lopez asked with a smile.

"Not really," Blake like that? He was older than her. Heh. Blake was a bit clingy sometimes.

"Eh. Things might change but as long as have you someone… it's better than nothing."

Perhaps he had a point. He didn't want to be alone.

* * *

He shut off his scroll in frustration

This was all his fault.

That damn Violet!

And Tukson!

Blake ran off and killed a man!

He didn't blame the kid, but he could certainly blame those two!

They told him that Blake had aura. They forced him to keep it a secret… after he made them swear that they helped find Blake. Of course, they agreed in a heartbeat.

After they find her, they were going to send her to Mistral for Blake's sake.

The White Fang would take her in and teach her the right path. He didn't blame Blake for her actions, she was just a kid with a bad lot in life.

From what Tukson told her, it was probably an accident. Blake seemed convicted but not consumed with vengeance.

Now he had to work the PR angle from this.

The CCC was already spinning this to be a horrible tragedy despite Winchester's crimes. They were portraying a shadowy, murderous Faunus killer. And thus, portraying all of them as horrible beings. Then again, if he came out with the identity of the killer, Blake would be arrested. No child shouldn't be sent to a juvenile aura-correctional facility.

It was a futile battle in the war of PR.

Death threats had already been sent to him since he was the one spearheading this movement. Funny thing, his more 'conservative' friends were discouraging him while the more radical members were encouraging him.

 _Knock!_

 _Knock!_

"I'm busy!" he shouted. He thought he told them to leave him in his office.

 _Bang!_

The door slammed open. A pale woman with grey hair that had lost it's luster a long time ago, came in with three men.

He dreaded what was going to happen but for once… he had to stand his ground. He swallowed his fears down his throat.

"What do I owe the pleasure, Alba Purity?"

"Can it. I think you know why we're here," she retorted.

Iteru got up from his seat. "To scare me off?"

"To send a message. The White Fang, while being an utterly pathetic organization, does have some pull. What better way to show you animals your place, then to kill you. Get him, boys!"

He could have run, could have fought back but what was the point? He was outmatched.

He was no fighter. The only thing he possibly had was his conviction. Despite the fear, he was going to go down with dignity. He would face death with dignity.

The first man punched him in the face, knocking him back to the wall. The other two men grabbed him and shoved him to the floor.

His face grew swollen as they kicked him in the face before grabbing him by the arms and dragged outside.

Before he knew it, he was being strung up to a lamp-post by his throat.

His last view of this world was Alba grinning as he gasped for air.

* * *

She watched the Faunus choke to death. It was a late night, his mangled corpse hidden by dusk. Come sunrise, the animals would be greeted with the sight of this.

It would signify a start of many things.

One of her men opened the door to the car for her.

The car ride to the CCC hideout was uneventful. She looked out the window and saw the damage to the city. It was like a festering disease that needed to be cut out and they were doing just that. They were going to force these degenerates out of Vale. They were making it very unbearable for them to live in this kingdom.

It started with the beatings. That didn't deter most of them, and then the CCC escalated. It was like their own twisted version of the riots. In the shadows of the night, kidnappings and arson were the more common tactics they used. Slowly, they were disappearing back into the dark where they belonged.

She saw a wolf Faunus with a red-headed horn boy. It was disgusting, an abnormality. They shouldn't have those rights.

"Fucking animals," she muttered.

Perhaps that little raid on the orphanage needed to be out-done.

The car stopped in front of an isolated warehouse.

She made her way to the office.

"Dawn," she greeted her boss. A stubborn man with short, messy orange hair with a tint of crimson and a five o'clock shadow.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"I think they got the message." Breaking the White Fang was a vital tactic. Despite its ineffectiveness, it was a symbol for the Faunus.

Alba stood in the dirty office room. Warehouses were coming up cheap and it provided a good meeting place for the CCC. Although, one of the better warehouses was bought by some lady but she was human. No concern there.

"What about Winchester's family?" he asked.

The CCC took care of there own. Obviously the Faunus were not content with the riots, they had to keep pushing. Hell, the 'ceasefire' after the riots was _somewhat_ respected except when some animals needed to learn their place

"Besides the financial compensation, we're providing protection," she informed her superior.

"And progress on the operation?"

Dawn ran a tight-ship, given that he was a vet from the Faunus war, it was to be expected.

"Smoking them out as we speak."

Burning down shitty apartments was a good way to drive them out of Vale and outside the kingdom. They deserved to live like animals. Of course, they couldn't wholesale slaughter them, not even in the riots. So lynch a few, scare the rest. While there were some casualties, it wasn't a massacre. Although, there was significant damage, but there was talks of the SDC hosting something to aid relief.

"And the animal who killed Winchester?" Dawn ran a tight ship. She did serve with him during the war. He hadn't changed, still big on honor.

She was too, it would be an atrocity not to get revenge for the murder of one of their members.

"When we find whoever did this, they will be made an example out of, sir."

"No, not that. Any leads?" he asked.

"Nothing, sir," she replied.

"Alright. You're needed elsewhere."

"And where would that be, sir?" Where else was she needed? They had it sufficiently locked down in Vale. The White Fang was in it's death throes and most of the Faunus were scrambling to get out.

"Atlas, my dear."

* * *

Four days running in shame. She was living in the damaged slums. She never really saw the true damage of the riots. Even before living on the streets, she stayed in the relatively safe areas. Now, she couldn't. Her side was still tender, the bones might have healed… but the pain was still there- even if it was muted. It was a gut-wrenching feeling that everyone was after her.

What would Silva say?

What would Tukson say?

She had slept in ruined buildings and had been nearly starving to death. She spied some fancy, elegant lady walking down in the street. She had some food in her hand, causing Blake to salivate at the prospect of food.

Running away from the police, from Tukson, from everyone… it was draining.

She put up her scarf and planned to grab the food and run.

That failed.

She was lifted up by the wrist and the one thing she could see was the woman's eyes.

Those fiery amber eyes radiated _hate._ The same drive that compelled her to seek out _Winchester._ She pushed back that urge, she couldn't be a monster again.

"Now… I assume you want this?" She held up the bag of food mockingly. She got the feeling that this woman was cruel for the sake of cruelty.

She wanted to lash out… but did this woman have a family? A husband, a kid?

"Well?" the woman asked with a sneer.

Blake nodded feebly.

"Tell me," the woman paused as if to soak in the fear, "Now, why should I let you go?"

Blake was scared, she got the impression that she was going to die. Fear overrode her other fear of taking another life. She didn't want to die! That fear manifested into a shaky shadow leaping out and headbutting the woman.

" _Fuck!"_ the woman in the red dress yelled out.

Blake thought maybe she could end this, right now. Then she turned around and ran.

Yet… what would that accomplish?

 _Nothing._

She still dreamed… _wanted_ a better world.

She had this power… but she didn't know how to apply it. The last time she did, it was disgusting… perverted.

A hero wouldn't do that but _life isn't a fairy tale._

Things weren't going to work out like those stories.

Why did this make her feel so bad?! They attacked the orphanage and killed Silva and she was feeling sorry for them? They were suppose to be evil! They _were_ evil! Right? And she was no closer to finding them.

What in the world was the Strangerhood?

She felt so powerless as she sprinted through the decaying streets. She didn't look both ways before crossing the street and got struck by a car.

As darkness overtook her, she called out for someone, Tukson, Violet… _anyone._

Before she knew it, she was in a bed.

She looked over and saw Tukson and Violet sitting nearby. Violet was passed out in the chair.

"Wha..." she started to say.

"Blake… are you alright?" Tukson started.

"What happened?" she asked. Her aura should have protected her from the car.

Tukson leaned in close. "Your aura was down and a car hit you. Luckily, this clinic was nearby. They didn't notice… your aura. You called for us and luckily a Fang member here notified us."

"Are you mad at me… for… I didn't mean it. It was an accident!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper. "It was an accident." Her voice cracked.

"What's done is done. You shouldn't blame yourself," Violet said. Blake was startled by Violet, who had suddenly woken up.

"We're not blaming you. Neither of us are. But… I don't think that was the best course of action. Did you at least get what you wanted?"

"He said… he gave them to the… Strangerhood," she whispered. It seemed so trivial that piece of information. Was that man's life worth it?

"Are you absolutely sure?" Tukson asked.

Blake nodded.

"Then he deserved it," Violet butted in.

Tukson looked away but didn't protest it.

"What… what is the Strangerhood?" Blake asked.

They told her the horrors of the Strangerhood. She felt sick to her stomach. How could she feel sympathy for that man?

"Oh god… Adam..." It had just occurred to her. That all of that… was happening to the kids. She put her hand to her mouth as tears slid down her face.

He was evil, a bastard! He had disguised himself as one of the decent humans.

Tukson gave her a small hug. "It's all right. It's all right."

She broke off the hug. "What now?"

"It's not safe in Vale. The White Fang is going underground," Violet told her.

"Why?"

"The CCC have been ramping up the violence. And the leader of the White Fang branch, _our friend_ , was killed by them," Violet explained.

"What about me?"

"You and me are off to Mistral while we still can," Tukson said.

"What about your friend?" Blake asked.

Violet let out a chuckle. It was an attempt to lighten the mood. "Someone's got to keep the White Fang together."

"You'll be out of here within the hour," he said.

"I'll be back," Violet said as she left the room.

Tukson took out a small book. "Here."

Blake gave a small smile. She took the book. "This book is out already?"

It was a guilty pleasure book. ' _Romance Ninjas II'_. It was marketed toward girls that liked sappy romance novels. Where the book last left off, the Lady had finally reunited with her long-lost lover while she was already in a relationship with her new lover.

It was ingenious!

And it helped distract her from the horrifying reality that she was living in.

"Thank you! Thank you!" She thanked Tukson several times.

"Thought you might like it."

She almost jumped right into it before Tukson said, "Hey, if you don't mind me asking..."

Blake put down the book. "Yeah?"

"During that night… several hours in, there was a report in the ' _underground'_ news app. Something about a shadow. The official media hasn't covered it…" he paused, to let Blake fill in the gap.

"It's… my semblance," she whispered.

Tukson barely touched upon the subject of semblances, but she was smart enough to figure it out.

"Oh. That changes things."

There was an awkward silence.

"We definitely got to get you to Mistral."

"What's in Mistral?"

"That's where most of the White Fang is. They can help. Besides, the laws regarding aura there are a bit more… lenient so to speak."

"When are we leaving?"

"As soon as you leave this clinic. I got tickets to the first airship to Mistral."

"Hm." Blake turned her focus to her book.

There was nothing left for her in Vale. Adam was gone. She had desperately clung onto the hope that he was alive. Doubt had plagued her mind, she had put on a face of confidence that she could find him. Yet Adam was right.

She set down the book for now… maybe later.

* * *

"I don't think there's anything here," Lopez commented.

"She has to be here!" Adam said while rummaging through the library.

It was empty and devoid of all life. He flung the bookcase open and Blake wasn't there… but then again why would she be?

Eventually, she would have to leave for food and water. He had to believe that maybe she was out there in Vale.

His eyesight adjusted to the darkness and he scoured through the darkness.

He only found a book.

 _The Faunus Supremacist Manifesto._

He smiled a little bit.

Maybe Blake wasn't completely hopeless. Then perhaps, all of this wouldn't be hopeless.

"Adam… she isn't here. Come on out."

He emerged from the hole and saw Lopez waiting.

"What do I do?" he asked.

"You have to face the facts. Logically, she wouldn't be here. Maybe she was taken to another location."

"No! That's a lie! She has to be alright! I can't lose her too. I lost everyone else."

"I'm sorry. But we have to get out of Vale," Lopez said.

Adam looked down, defeated. Those days in the cage had worsen his outlook. It was a fool's dream, but one can dream, right?

"Alright… alright. Where are we going?"

"Any other kingdom than here. Haven't decided yet. C'mon."

They left the dead orphanage, for the final time. A tomb for a former life lost.

"So… why do we have to leave Vale?"

"Unfortunately, things are getting a bit too hot for my taste," Lopez stated.

"What do you mean?" Adam asked.

"Besides the riots? Everything changed after the murder of a prominent CCC member. You'd probably think it was justified. Maybe it was, but the CCC has enacted a campaign of terror against the Faunus. It's being kept out of the main media for fear of panic but _it is happening._ The White Fang have been silent as of late."

Adam, while not the biggest fan of the White Fang, knew what it stood for. It was a symbol of hope- naive hope, but it was hope nevertheless. For all of Blake's doubts and fears, that hope continued to push her forward.

And if they were getting rid of that hope, then they were trying to break the Faunus. Those filthy humans…

"Then can't we do something?" Adam protested.

"Listen, Adam. When I unlocked your aura, it has destined your life for conflict. It's a responsibility- a path to fight. While it is noble of you wanting to fight the good fight, you're not ready. And even me, I couldn't hope to take on the CCC alone. Between you and me, we can't hope to take on a group as large as the CCC," Lopez explained.

"Then… then… what can we do?"

"I already promised to train you. I can't just unlock your aura and leave you alone. It's my responsibility, but if I'm going to train you… then we need to do it on my terms. Vale isn't safe for Faunus."

"Where do we go then?" Adam asked.

"Atlas isn't the best place for Faunus. Besides… an old enemy of mine is in Atlas. Vacuo wouldn't be the best place for you. Mistral would be the best place for us. The White Fang is based in Mistral and business would be plentiful for me. And it would provide a good learning opportunity for you."

"I suppose…"

"Don't worry. When the time comes, you'll be ready."

Adam craved that. Everything that he knew was bastardized by humans. His first home taken away, his second home destroyed, his friends killed in front of him. He had to watch his entire life shatter, given a glimpse of hope, and destroyed again.

He didn't want to feel powerless anymore. He wanted everything to be alright. He wanted the strength to keep what was his safe.

"Alright," Adam finally agreed.

"Let's go then. The next airship to Mistral leaves within the hour."

"Okay, but can I do something first?" Adam asked.

Adam looked back to the orphanage. A pained sight. It strained his eyes to look at that painful memory. "I will make sure they pay, each and every one of them."

Lopez took out a pair of airship tickets and gave one to Adam.

"It's time to leave this place behind,"

* * *

Blake held Tukson's hand on the bus.

"You sure you don't want to read that book?" Tukson asked.

"I can read it on the airship," Blake replied.

She was leaving Vale behind. As the bus got closer to the airship stations, she started to feel the anxiety. Everything was gone. Adam was dead. Silva was dead. And she was leaving the place of suffering. Running was more accurate to describe it. It was a shameful word.

She wanted to cry- to protest that it wasn't fair. Yet… she had to leave. Everything was changing so fast, and she had to change to keep up with it. Looking around, judgmental eyes peered into her. It was shameful and disgraceful. She hid her cat ears within the burrows of her hair. Times like this made her doubt that humans and Faunus could co-exist.

That single thought was more shameful than those eyes. Maybe she was a disgrace.

Her eyes began tearing up but she started to wipe it away. She rested her head on Tukson. It was nice. Silva was a good caretaker for her, but being a mother to many was not the same as being a mother of one.

Tukson was different. He was the same as Silva in most ways, but there was only her. She liked it. She never had a chance to meet her real parents.

There was a hint of resentment toward them. They had ran off without her. She could feel her claws within her, aching to get out.

That anger soon dissipated.

She needed something to distract her wandering mind.

She took out her book, _Romance Ninjas II._

 _The Lady could not believe her eyes. Her long-lost lover, back from the dead. 'Oh Nightingale!' she cried out as she went out to embrace her formerly dead partner. Their embrace was long and their lips tenderly reached out, connecting two souls as one._

 _'Wait!' the Lady cried out, breaking that perfect embrace. 'There is another!'_

 _The once gentle Nightingale turned violent. The war had changed the calm man into a shadow of his former self._

 _'Lady!' her second lover yelled out. 'Who… who is this?'_

 _Her second lover, Sunny, was heartbroken. She had given the Lady her everything. Countless years spent on loving the Lady. She was there for the Lady when no one else was. Her voice was full of hurt and heartache._

 _'How dare you betray our love!' Nightingale yelled out. His fury was seething. It was all consuming. For Nightingale, there was only the war and his love. Now that his love was seemly gone, there was only the war._

 _The war was horrid, people became monsters. And as Nightingale charged her second lover, the Lady didn't see the man she loved but a monster._

 _Sunny, who was equally broken by the revelation, charged back. Sunny, a guard at the royal palace, had many years of training._

 _Truly her two lovers were equal in skill._

Tukson tapped Blake, breaking out of her trance. Reading books had always calmed her. It made it seemed that there was nothing but that book.

It created whole worlds for her to explore. She hoped that maybe she could create a world that Faunus and humans could co-exist, but for now… this would suffice.

"Hey, Blake. It's time to go."

She closed her book, and let Tukson guide her out of the bus. The airships would be leaving soon. The flight to Mistral would be long.

Flights were slightly more safer than traveling by sea at the cost of it being longer. Seafaring Grimm were more dangerous than the flying Grimm.

She sat down in the bench in front of the airship station while Tukson got the tickets.

"C'mon Adam." Her Faunus ears perked up.

Could it be? Should she dare hope? Life couldn't be like those books.

She sat still, internally debating if she should investigate. She came to a decision. It wouldn't hurt to check.

Getting up from the bench, she glanced over in the general direction of the source. An older wolf Faunus was with a red-headed boy. He had horns… could it really be?

She rushed toward the pair and in a quivering, unsure voice, "Adam?"

The boy turned around, surprised. "Blake?"

He was alive!

She didn't fight back the tears nor the urge to hug Adam.

The hug was tight, neither of them wanting to let go.

"Adam! You're alright! I was so worried!"

Adam merely hugged harder. "I'm so sorry, Blake. It was all my fault, but… I'm here now."

Their hug was broken by an unfamiliar voice.

"So, I assume this is the girl, Blake was it?"

Blake nodded before turning to Adam, "Who is this?"

"This is Lopez. He helped me save me from-"

"The Strangerhood?" Blake interrupted.

"How did you know that?" Adam asked.

"I've been looking all over you!" But before Blake could continue, Tukson came over.

"Blake, who is this?"

"This is Adam! And… Lopez?"

"Oh!" he exclaimed before turning over to Lopez. "Oh."

"It's nice to see that you two are back again. Where are you two going?" Lopez asked.

"Mistral."

"That's where we going!" Blake chirped happily.

"Alright, I guess we could travel together… Lopez and I have to talk soon." Tukson's tone was concerning but that didn't matter. Adam was back, safe and sound. Her only friend was back. She didn't ever want to leave him. Those days and nights on the streets made her crave those days at the orphanage back with Adam. The group of four went into the large airship. They sat down onto the bench, with Adam and Blake sitting together. Lopez and Tukson seemed tense together.

The airship lifted up into the air.

"Hey Adam, you wanna see my new boo-"

Blake was interrupted by the emerging holo-screen.

"This just in! The leader of the White Fang has just been murdered!"

 **Beta'd by: Spartacus400**

 **Next chapter: Goldilocks**


	7. Goldilocks

Chapter 7: Goldilocks

* * *

A demon to some, a tragic tale to another.

 _Once upon a time there was a girl with bright yellow hair._

 _When the family shattered, she became the protector to her little sister._

 _With the mother dead and buried, it broke the girl with the red cloak._

 _The little sister was prey to the harsh world, protected only by her big sister._

 _But days of protecting the girl has taken its toll as protection turned into violence._

 _And then a destructive family secret revealed, the protector became disillusioned._

 _Then the girl with the bright yellow hair made a mistake she shall forever regret._

 _And all she was left with is the dark family secret._

* * *

The world was _cruel._

Some days were better than most. She tried to remain positive. Yet, she had to sacrifice nearly everything for her sister.

Some days she hated it. However, most days she didn't regret it. It was a fact of life that she had to protect her sister. She just hated that she never saw her little sister smile. She'd like to blame their dad, but she couldn't.

 _"It's all your fault. All your fault," he slurred out loud before turning to face them. "Why do you look like her? I… Just get away! I hate you." She pulled Ruby away. Her little sister didn't need to see their father ranting in front of the mirror, but she could tell Ruby was thinking it was all her fault._

" _You're worthless!" he yelled._

 _She grabbed Ruby away from their drunken father. Her little sister was crying. She didn't want Ruby to see that. She had to be strong for Ruby- she couldn't shed any tears, not in front of Ruby._

" _It's alright. Daddy is just mad," she tried reassuring Ruby._

" _Is he mad at me? Is it my fault?" her sister said in-between the tears._

" _No. No. It isn't your fault. I'll be right back."_

 _She angrily stomped toward the room where her father was. She was going to give her dad a piece of her mind. Her mom, Summer may be gone- but that didn't give an excuse for his actions._

 _The sight she came across was sad and pathetic._

 _Her dad was slumped over, an empty bottle in his hand._

" _You're worthless. We're all so worthless. I.." he choked on his words. He took a huge gulp before finishing his sentence._

" _I'm worthless. No wonder why they all left. I couldn't save her. I couldn't save her," he kept repeating that to himself. She couldn't deliver her pent-up anger at him. He was broken- a shell. She could remember the happier times and that stayed her hand._

 _Things had to get better. Dad would get out of his slump and everything would be better. She just had to weather the storm… but what about Ruby?_

A few months later, and she had to wonder if things were improving? Their dad took a leave of absence in his Huntsman duties, and spent more times in the bars than with them.

It was probably a way to release his anger out. Then at home, he just stools in his own misery. Ruby stayed away from him. The first couple of weeks were the hardest and by the time the storm passed, the damage was done.

Ruby just bawled her eyes out over the months. Suffice to say, their dad didn't help, because the mere sight of him for Ruby only made things worse. Ruby was so utterly convinced that their dad hated her. She could understand where he was coming from, but his toxic behavior wasn't helping.

She longed for the days where he was a loving and caring dad. A day where he slung Ruby onto his shoulders and chased after her. A day where he smiled and talked about his adventures as a huntsman. A day where Ruby wasn't afraid of him anymore. A day where they wouldn't hear their dad's occasional drunken yells.

The death of their mother changed that dynamic.

Their only interactions were muted and non-verbal. Deep down, he probably still cared for them, but apparently his grief and misery took precedent over that.

Yet, Ruby wasn't happy.

Maybe it was because every time dad was home, he'd yell. Perhaps Ruby thought it was all her fault.

Maybe it was because Yang could not play the role Ruby needed. Yang was no mother. She cared for her sister, but she was no Summer.

So every look of anguish on Yang's face, Ruby probably took to heart.

Was it her fault? Was Yang not trying hard enough? She had pushing herself over the edge for Ruby. One could see it in her eyes.

While her life was now devoted to her little sister. The last month of school was when everything went downhill for her.

Some kids thought it would be funny to tease her ' _cry-baby'_ sister. Whether it was borne out jealousy and resentment of them having hunter parents or something else, it didn't matter. That's when the fighting started. She traded in her role as a ' _fun'_ girl into that ' _mean_ ' girl.

She just kept fighting and fighting. Sometimes it was for her sister. Other times, it was for her. She made no friends as the school days went by.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before someone escalated the matters. It had turned into simple schoolyard spats into _beatings._

They had to gall to try and hurt Ruby- emotionally and physically. Was it Yang's fault? She had taken things to the next level.

She couldn't just hold back. Perhaps it was her way of dealing with the rage at her situation. The situation wasn't even improving. Their dad was a hollow drunk whom Ruby feared. Ruby spent most of her time crying, unable to properly grasp the situation. Yang did her best for Ruby. She emulated their mother- to no avail.

She tried baking cookies like Summer. She tried reading fairy tales like Summer. She _tried_ to pretend that everything was getting better. She just wanted this family to get better. She wanted Ruby happy. She wanted dad happy.

She failed.

Perhaps, Yang tried to hard. She couldn't force this out, yet she couldn't do it with love and tender. Ruby took that to heart, and shut herself off.

Throughout the last, dying school months, she had been nursing bruises and headaches. Of course, she had to hide the wounds from her little sister. She didn't need Ruby seeing her fight. When Yang fought, everything was clear. The person she was fighting was the bad guy, someone that she could release all that fury onto them.

It didn't even matter that she won or lost.

In a way, the fight was for both for Ruby and Yang. Their cruel words would never reach Ruby's ears. Ruby's situation didn't need to get worse. She kept things from getting worse for Ruby and had an outlet.

" _Fuck you! Stay away from my sister!" She punched the boy right in the jaw. She kept punching and punching before the boy backed away._

" _Why would anyone care for that crybaby! But maybe I should teach her a lesson!" he shouted before he tackled Yang. Yang managed to headbutt the boy off her._

 _As she got up, the boy's fist collided with her ribs, causing her to gasp in pain._

" _Nobody cares that your mom died! She should just shut up about it! Boo-hoo! Like the world revolves around her! She's just an attention whore!"_

 _Nobody called her sister that!_

 _She punched the boy in the throat._

Although, the school year finally died and it was just them. Again, their dad was off to wallow in his misery elsewhere. Maybe it was his way of sparing them his anger. Yang didn't know.

She focused all her time on trying to help Ruby. All her time devoted to Ruby. Yet, she could never replace their mother.

Maybe Ruby knew that too. Perhaps Ruby could see the slight resentment in Yang's eyes. Maybe that made it worse.

The revelation came when Yang looked into the mirror. Her once golden hair was disheveled- a faded sun. Her eyes a dull purple with bags under her eyes. It made her mad, the fury in her simmering. She didn't want this.

Despite all that, she swallowed that anger for Ruby. All that fury and rage, shoved down her throat. Ruby was her little sister, through and through. They were sisters and Yang was the eldest sister. It was her duty as sister to pull through. Her problems didn't matter.

"Come on, Ruby."

" _No,"_ came the weakened reply.

"Please, Ruby," Yang whispered through the door.

Eventually, Ruby gave in.

The door swung open, revealing a tiny little girl. Everything went wrong for the little girl. Ruby and their mother were inseparable. Maybe if Ruby was younger then the hurt would be lessened. The death of their mother set a spiraling course of despair.

Ruby needed a mother and Yang was no mother.

"You need to eat, Ruby."

Perhaps if their father would pick up the slack, things could be better. Yet, as Yang struggled throughout the days, she started to resent the situation- no, she _hated_ the situation.

"No," Ruby replied.

"Ruby, please," Yang pleaded. She went closer to Ruby.

" _Please,"_ she said with more force in her voice. Ruby flinched slightly.

Yang took a small deep breath.

" _Fuck!"_ Their father's voice echoed throughout the house. Father was back and Yang saw Ruby flinch. Yang began to blame their dad for this situation.

He was the reason why things weren't getting better. He was the reason that she had to deal with all of this responsibility- this burden.

She began stomping toward their dad with Ruby following close behind. Despite all this, Ruby clung onto Yang. Yang was her only lifeline. Yang was the closer remaining link to those happier days.

" _Dad!"_ she yelled.

Her dad ignored her.

" _Dad! Will you stop this!"_ Her hatred began leaking into her voice. All the hurt, all the resentment threatened to flood out.

"Why?!" he raised his voice.

"Where do I even begin?!" She wanted to yell and scream, but held most of it back. "You're a wreck! You're useless! I had to do everything! I suffered for this family- my sister! You're no father!"

She could have been much crueler in her words.

Her dad looked down, with Ruby hanging in the sidelines, distraught at the unfolding scene before her.

"Mom would be ashamed of you!"

Her dad looked unsure before gaining a resolve- probably brought out by the alcohol. "She wasn't your mother."

"What?" Yang asked confused.

"Summer isn't your real mother," he muttered before stumbling onto a wall.

" _What?!"_ Yang demanded. She didn't bother holding back. She was done!

Her dad reached into his vest and pulled out an old photo before flicking it toward her.

"That's your real mother." He then slunk onto the floor.

Yang tentatively reached down and picked up the photo.

"She left me. Maybe she knew how much of a failure I am. Raven left me and I don't even know where she. And I couldn't save Summer." Her father continued to wallow in his agony.

The photo displayed a happier scene. Uncle Qrow, mo- Summer, dad, and… _her real mom._ She looked happy. Bright, shining red eyes seemed inviting. It was of a happier time. A time she yearned for.

Then it hit her. Summer wasn't her real mom. Ruby wasn't her real sister. No wonder why Summer wanted Ruby to have her last name. There was a reason why Summer gave Ruby a red cloak and Yang nothing. Her small, orange infinity scarf from dad was not hand woven by Summer.

Yang was so conflicted. All of this suffering, the fights for Ruby, silently suffering as the burdens weighed upon her… was it all for naught?

She began feeling hot and started breathing heavily. She couldn't process this. She needed to get away- to yell, to _scream!_

She stormed out of the house and into the woods. Dad paid her no heed as she stomped out. She had no idea what she was going to do! There was no way to force this hate out.

The helpless cries of her sis- Ruby echoed behind her. Was she abandoning Ruby? Some part of her wanted to leave. Another part wanted to cry and break down.

Yang didn't stop. She had no self-control right now and didn't want Ruby to see her like this.

" _Yaaaaang! Please stay!"_

Yang turned around to face her younger sibling. Her rage was almost equal to Ruby's sorrow.

"Go away, Ruby," she said while grinding her teeth. She wanted to be alone.

Ruby didn't understand and tried approaching Yang. _She just wanted to be alone! Why couldn't Ruby understand that!_ She sacrificed everything for her! Yang was out of control! She spent so long trying to hold her anger at bay.

Yet when Ruby came charging at her, she couldn't contain it anymore.

Months of trying to keep her angry in check blasted out. She shoved Ruby away from her. All of this suffering was because of her.

She ignored Ruby's cries and she started to rant. Once she began, she couldn't stop.

"I'm not your damn sister anymore! And I'm tired of helping of you! Your mom died! Not mine!" It was the easy way to deflect blame onto Ruby. Everything was because Ruby couldn't get over _her_ mom's death.

Yang continued, "It was always about you! You didn't give a damn about me! I sacrificed so fucking much for you and you never helped me! Do you know how many fucking times I took the hits for you?! The beatings I suffered for you!? Or how much time I wasted protecting you?!" The aches and pain compelled her to speak her mind. All those cruel kids were gone, no one to project her rage except onto Ruby.

"You're weak! You never once thought about what I wanted! And even now, it's always about you. All you care about is yourself! Well, I am done!" she continued to rant. All the resentment was being reflected onto Ruby, and she didn't care. Months of pain and suffering had taken their toll.

"No. Please don't leave me," Ruby whimpered.

That somehow set Yang off, the months of sacrifice came crashing down and all her hate concentrated onto Ruby as she screamed, "I _HATE_ YOU!"

She gave a harsh kick onto Ruby's head.

Only a mere moment passed before she realized what she did as her rage simmered down. It was in the heat of the moment, but that didn't stop Yang from hating herself.

" _Oh no. No no no no no no!"_ She went onto her knees and checked if Ruby was all right. She gave small sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she kept muttering as she picked up Ruby.

"We have to get you back home," Yang whispered to herself. Their dad couldn't ignore this.

She turned around and saw a beowolf towering over her. She turned to shoulder the oncoming blow, protecting Ruby.

The claws tore into her back as Yang cried out. She collapsed onto her knees and dropped Ruby. The beowolf swatted her away from Ruby and slammed Yang into a tree. Her back was on fire, as she felt her life ebbing away before suddenly a brief flash of yellow consumed her like a raging fire and slowly the pain in her back faded away.

Dad taught her enough to know it was aura. A raven's cry shocked her out of her thoughts.

The beowolf stood over the unconscious form of Ruby- it's intent was obvious. She wasn't healing fast enough! She had to move! She had to save Ruby!

 _She had to take this pain and her anger and turn it into something useful! It got her into this mess and she had to transform it into something else!_

The glow manifested again through her bright hair.

She slowly got up, the pain stopped fading away. The intenser the pain was, the brighter her hair glowed.

" _LEAVE HER ALONE!"_

She ran and tackled the beowolf with all her might. The beowolf was pushed deep into the woods, trying to shake the enraged little girl off.

Her punches began carrying a lot more weight to them as she felt her muscles bulk up. She managed to pierce through the Grimm's hide and as the beowolf tumbled down as Yang continued to beat upon it. Time held no meaning for her. How long has it been? A few seconds? Minutes? She didn't know- didn't care. She managed to bring it down as they both collapsed onto a trail.

She laid upon the dead beowolf, as the adrenaline wore off and the full extent of the pain returned. The Grimm faded away and Yang closed her eyes, hoping Ruby was okay.

* * *

Acid sat with her brother and nephew, picking at her food.

"Have you even tried finding some _real_ work?" her brother asked, the implications obvious.

"No, Arnica, I haven't."

Her nephew made some comment about her. It may have slightly infuriate her but he did take after her.

"What did you say punk?" she retorted with a playful tone.

"Don't encourage him, Acid," Arnica chided her.

"Why?" She gave a grin to her twin brother.

"He's been getting into fights during the school year."

Acid turned to her nephew. "You win?"

Her nephew looked down.

"Oh come on, Basuco! Who'd you lose to?"

"Some girl," he muttered.

"Of for the love of… I know you're pissed off because your mom, but that doesn't give you the excuse of being a dick."

" _That's enough, Acid."_

She could tell by her brother's tone that she had pushed a bit too far. Arnica was always the smart one between the two. The one who worked for everything in his life.

Sometimes she felt that he was ashamed of her. Maybe it was true. She wasn't a good person and not always the best sister. She even failed at being that ' _cool'_ aunt. Maybe she was a bad influence of Basuco. She didn't want to send him down the path she took.

"Perhaps..." she started. "Perhaps, it's time I returned to Vale."

"But Aunt Acid-" Basuco started.

"I imposed on you guys long enough. Thanks for having me here." She started making her way to the door before Arnica stopped her.

He gave her a tight hug. "I know I don't always show it… but I love you. Just be safe… _sis._ "

The two siblings often bickered. They even said and did things to each other that weren't actions of a loving sibling, but at the end of the day, they always reconciled. They just had to see their act of love outshine the hate.

She gave a light chuckle and returned the hug. "Sure thing, _bro."_

She left the little house and went into the woods. She took out a small cigarette and lit it. There was a small trail of smoke left behind her.

As long as she stuck to the trail, she'd be fine. About an hour later, she was almost to the docks of Patch.

" _LEAVE HER ALONE!"_ a faint, angry voice yelled out.

Acid dropped the cig and pulled out one of her revolvers. She took cover behind a tree and waited. Peeking her head at the unknown might get her killed. She heard thrashing and screaming but held her ground. About three minutes later, she saw something that was both fascinating and horrifying.

A little girl with blood-red eyes was riding and punching a beowolf. The odd thing was… that the girl was doing _real_ damage.

Bright yellow hair shone through the darkened woods.

The little girl collapsed onto the ashes of the dead Grimm. Quickly and quietly, she looked upon the destructive path caused by the two. It led deep into the woods, and there was no one else there.

Acid was shocked that a girl that young had aura and a semblance, if the glowing hair was an indicator.

What was she to do?

She knew about Junior's little project, but he didn't whisk away kids off the street. Besides… that favor that bastard Winchester called in had left a bad taste in her mouth.

Acid checked if the kid was alright. The little girl was still breathing, which was a good sign.

The kid began to stir.

* * *

Yang awoke with a start. "Ruby!"

She turned to an unfamiliar face and immediately asked, "Where's Ruby?! Where's my little sister?!"

"I don't..."

She struggled to get up and began limping toward the path of destructive. The woman gasped as Yang turned her back to her. Despite the impressive distance, she still managed to see where… she kicked Ruby and told her… that she hated her. There was no one there. The implications were obvious. Ruby would have stayed and waited for Yang to come back.

She could never take back what she said or did. Ruby was gone.

 _Ruby was gone forever._ That didn't quite registered properly until...

"I'm sorry kid. Whoever they were… the Grimm probably got them," the stranger said solemnly.

"But… but..." Yang started inching her way back to where Ruby was before the stranger stopped her.

"I'm sorry. The odds of a kid surviving that deep in the woods alone isn't high. And a little kid is like… a drug to them. They probably got her. _I'm sorry."_

Reality came crashing down onto her like a burning home.

" _No."_ That lone word was all she could utter. Yet, she couldn't deny anything. It was all her fault. She had lashed out onto Ruby… and it got her killed.

Despite her unlocking her aura, she was too late.

"I..." Yang began breaking down, sobbing quietly. The stranger seemed sympathetic and gave her a small hug.

"I didn't mean it. She… I never got to say I'm sorry…. That I loved her!" She sobbed into the stranger's shoulder.

"Shhhh. It's all right… uh..." Acid started.

"Yang," she muttered.

"Yang, whatever happened… it wasn't your fault."

"But," she started to stutter. "But it was my fault!"

Yang hated herself, drawing all those negative feelings to herself.

"Listen, Yang. I know it hurts and you feel… empty but do you have any parents or-"

"Dad can't know! He can't know! He can't know," she pleaded to the stranger.

"Well… is there anyone else?"

Yang felt the weight of a crumpled photo in her pocket. Dad would never forgive her. Uncle Qrow wouldn't either. No one would forgive her… knowing what she had done. Summer… would disown her if she was still alive… because she wasn't her _real_ daughter. Yet, there might have been someone else.

"There… there is my… mom." Honestly, that was the only person that she thought that _might_ accept her. Mothers were caring, right? She left Dad, but she didn't want to leave her… right? Could her _real_ mother make this guilt- this numbness away?

"Oh that's good. I'll call her and we'll bring you to a hos-"

"I don't know where she is!" Yang almost cried out.

"Listen… Yang. I know it's hard but I think it would be best if we went to your dad. I'll even be with you all the way." The stranger broke the hug and looked Yang right in the eye.

Yang just let the tears slide down her face. "He… he can't know. I… killed my sister. I'm a horrible person. He won't ever forgive me."

"Alright. Listen, it wasn't your fault. I'll take you back to my brother's and-"

" _Hey, bitch-ass Acid!"_ The friendly stranger turned around and they both saw a lady with long black hair in a light purple trench coat, wide open revealing a dark purple bra. She had a small black shorts on with cowboy boots.

She had a cocky grin on her face as she approached the two.

"Hanging out with a cry baby now?" she sneered.

Yang wiped the tears off her face and gave a nasty look to the lady. The anger was a distraction- a way to temporarily halt the guilt.

The lady was taken back briefly before smiling. "Didn't know you had it in you, Acid! I'm proud of you. Finding a kid with a semblance. She's got fire in those red eyes! And nice, glowing hair to boot! Ooo-wee! Quite a catch!"

"Why are you here, Dian?" Acid asked with no love in her voice.

"I came to get your dumb-ass back," Dian retorted.

"Then piss off, I was on my way back anyway."

"Whatever, I'll leave you to snort your shit in peace, but the boss-man wants to see you. I'm sure you'll get on his good side with your catch." Dian then skipped on down the path.

"Who was she?" Yang asked, as her temper began flickering out.

"Dian Mei. Grade-A bitch," Acid muttered before looking up at Yang. "I'm sorry for what I accidentally dragged you into. But… you might have been… recruited in a certain sense to a gang."

That confused Yang out of her funk. "What?"

"A kid with aura is rare. A kid with a semblance is even rarer. And… Dian and me, we're suppose to recruit kids like you. Now that Dian knows about you, my hands are tied. I can't let you go now."

"So… I don't have any choice." Immediately her demeanor changed.

"Yang..." Acid started but couldn't finish that sentence.

"I… killed..." Yang couldn't finish that sentence. She never stopped crying. "I have no one."

"What about your mom?" Acid asked.

"I… _I don't know._ I just… I need to find her." Something inside her craved the days before Summer died. She wanted a mother to love and to tell her that everything was alright. Everything wasn't alright. _She needed her mom._

She took out the photo and stared at it. Acid went over and looked alongside the photo.

"That's my mom," Yang pointed to a red-eyed woman with spiky black hair. "I _need_ to find her."+

Acid looked down before looking back at Yang. "Listen, Yang. My boss isn't an unreasonable man. I might be able to get him to find your mom for you. You help us, then we'll help you."

"Are… you lying?" Yang asked suspiciously.

"No. But… it would be better for everyone if you just came with me. I really do want to help you."

Yang saw Acid's two revolvers and the pain on her back flare up. A raven flew in from the direction where she… left her sister. It screeched with sickening joy in the background. Yang wouldn't win. Besides, this was probably the only way she could find her mom. Yang got up and nodded her head to Acid.

Acid offered her hand to Yang.

Yang didn't take it.

* * *

Acid sat with Yang on the boat. She made sure that Dian wasn't anywhere nearby. Dian was a fucking monster.

A skilled and valuable monster, but a monster nevertheless. Acid was glad she never had to face Dian. She glanced over at Yang. The girl had tired herself out from all the crying. She just gave her a blank look.

Acid was familiar with the feeling.

When someone runs out of tears, all they could do was shut down.

Yang was similar in that regard. Yet, there was fire in those red eyes. Acid just hoped that the girl didn't redirect that anger to herself.

It would be better if she lashed out against the world. Nobody wanted or needed a whiny, self-loathing kid. At least, the anger could be used productively.

Although, Yang could be consumed by it. Nobody needed another Dian.

With time, maybe Yang could overcome this. Acid should just let Yang grieve in her own way. Yang wouldn't let Acid help.

She could somewhat relate to Yang but… she didn't know how to deal with Yang's guilt over her sister. Acid wouldn't… _couldn't_ dare dream of a world without her brother.

Acid didn't know what to say to Yang. She wanted to reassure the kid that everything was alright, but that would be a lie.

Yet, Acid knew that she could do one thing that might help Yang.

She could find Yang's mom for her. Yang needed family to support her through this. Her dad didn't seem like a reasonable man from Yang.

"Hey, Yang." She tapped her on the shoulder.

"What?" Yang snapped. That shook Acid's confidence.

"I… nevermind." Acid needed to give Yang her space. She realized that she effectively whisked a kid away to a gang. A slightly decent gang perhaps, but a gang nevertheless.

Acid foolishly hoped that she was taking Yang to a better place. Her home life didn't seem all that great. Yet, that was a pathetic dream. Real life sucked… but it wasn't all bad. Yang was just going through… a rough patch. Things had to get better. Yang needed to know that.

Acid began to speak up again. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

Yang just gave a small huff but Acid continued. "I know… being… ' _inducted'_ into a gang isn't the best-"

"Best place for a person like me," Yang muttered.

"For fuck's sake. It isn't healthy to blame yourself."

"Then who should I blame?" Yang asked exasperated. Acid shouldn't expect Yang to recover so quickly.

However, her boss isn't going to like a whiny, emo child. Those were reserved for terrorist organizations. Hei would probably prefer an angry little kid. It would be easier for him in the long run, just point her rage at something and let it rip.

Acid didn't like it.

"Blame the world if you have to but it wasn't your fault. Now listen… I want to help you. I really do."

Yang gave her a suspicious look.

"It's just that… my boss would probably help you. But you would have to-"

"Help him. _I got it,"_ Yang said with a hint of sadness.

"Don't worry. He just wants an oath of loyalty. He isn't going to force you to do anything for the time being. Hell, he might even start working towards helping you as soon as possible," Acid tried reassuring Yang.

Yang just turned away.

Sending a kid to do dangerous tasks was _insane._ Aura and semblances may have caused a massive boost in terms of power, they were still kids. Only a mentally unhinged person would _actually_ do it. Case in point, Dian. It may seem like a good idea, but one has to eventually realize that they are kids.

Yet Dian advocated for sending what kids they gathered to the front lines.

 _Stupid._

Fortunately, Hei was a reasonable boss. He'd see Yang as an investment. Training a kid wouldn't be too much of a problem. While it may not be combat academy levels of training, it still would be effective. Perhaps in two to three years, Yang would be combat ready.

Although, certain errands wouldn't be out of the question.

She left Yang inside and went out into the moonlit deck. Dian was looking out onto the sea.

"Nice night for a boat ride, isn't it? Think I might even saw a motorboat on the horizon." Dian was using her semblance again.

Dian was skilled with both her aura and semblance. She managed to turn her crappy semblance into something to be feared.

Acid on the other hand was more skilled in terms of aura. Her semblance, on the surface, may have appeared to be better than Dian's, but it wasn't.

"Cut the crap, Dian."

Dian's eyes went from red to purple to pink to finally settling on Acid's green eyes. Acid shot her a dirty look before lighting a cigarette.

"You're on cigarettes, now? What happened to you crushing up pills?" Dian asked before smacking Acid's shoulder.

"Shut up, I'm trying to be better."

Dian looked back to the fading island of Patch. "Oh, for your dumb-ass family."

Acid faced Dian and blew smoke in her face. " _Don't."_

Dian smiled. "You'll go back to your old ways soon enough."

"I will shoot you."

"And I'll see it coming miles away," Dian sneered.

"Wanna bet?" Acid shot back.

The ship finally landed in the docks.

"Looks like we're here. I'll go get the kid." Dian began walking away before Acid grabbed her arm.

"I want you to stay away from her."

Dian chuckled. "You'll get her hooked on drugs and alcohol."

"As opposed to being a murderous maniac?"

" _Well, at least I'm happy,"_ Dian spat.

"What are you implying?"

Dian gave a devilish grin and said, "I'll get the limo driver."

Dian strutted away while Acid yelled out, "Bitch!"

She ignored her and left the ship while Acid went to get Yang.

She found Yang's head buried in her knees. "C'mon sweetie."

Yang got up, and once more, Acid offered her hand.

Yang reached out for it, but pulled it away at the last moment.

* * *

The car ride was quiet.

The two women were giving each other death stares. Yang would find it funny if hours before…

Acid told her that she shouldn't blame herself.

Maybe the situation wasn't her fault. She did her best! Everything was stacked against her! And the moment she lashed out!

Dian took out a large rifle… Yang stared at it. Uncle Qrow educated her on weapons. Everything from scythes to gauntlets. Ruby had a certain fixation with Qrow's weapon. Yang gave a melancholy smile as she remembered Ruby's toothy grin.

It wasn't her fault.

Dian flipped a switch on the gun and it began to hum. Yang remembered what type of gun it was. A railgun… designed to deliver a concentrated beam of Dust. It was a sniper's choice of weapon.

Acid took out her two revolvers.

"What's going on?" Yang asked.

"Trouble," Acid replied.

"Such a cliched line," Dian chimed in.

"Piss off. Just get ready to deal with the ambush," Acid said before turning to face Yang. "Stay here Yang. We'll take care of this."

The car suddenly stopped.

The two popped out of the limo and almost immediately gunfire was heard. Yang didn't cover her ears. There was a particular melody to the gunfire. Eventually, the car began shaking.

Yang unbuckled her seatbelt and went toward the car door. She began to unroll the window and saw a brutish, bald man draped in a brown jacket. There was a particular insignia on it. It contained a grinning bear with huge teeth.

The man turned and smiled a vicious grin. He then pulled Yang through the window.

Yang began screaming out, mostly in anger and pain. The pain drove her to start swinging.

Before the man could do anything else, Yang managed to hit the man square in the jaw. It made a cracking sound as the man hit the ground.

Yang dropped onto the man. He was beginning to stir and Yang couldn't stop there. The pain reminded her of that particular moment. She didn't want to remember! Once was enough! The all-too familiar came back.

She took all that fury and forced it onto the man.

Then she began bashing the man's head in. Alongside the sounds of his skull being bashed in, she heard screaming. It took her a moment to realize that it was her own screams.

" _YANG!"_

That one outburst broke her out of the rage.

She stopped hitting the twitching body and stood up, dazed.

It felt calmer… that the rage was… muted… but something was off. The protective feeling of aura was also muted. Muted in the sense that it was being channeled away. The pain, however, didn't hurt as bad… it was just… _there._ It didn't feel right nor wrong.

Acid grabbed her by the shoulders while Dian was laughing.

"Jolly good show!" Dian exclaimed before getting into the limo.

Yang looked away from Acid's concerned eyes. The streets were littered with bodies, all of which had that same brown jacket.

Acid took out a red handkerchief from her suit and wiped something off Yang's face. She couldn't see what it was.

"Come on, sweetie." Acid brought Yang back into the limo.

Yang just sat in the car, dumbfounded for a brief moment.

"Ah yes. The shock of the first kill. Savor it," Dian said.

"I… killed him?" Yang stammered. Did she really kill him? If… so… that would be the second person she killed.

 _No!_

It wasn't her fault! It was the world's fault!

Just like this!

It had to be.

 _It had to be._

"Sweetie, don't listen to her-"

"Tell me… what do you feel? Do you feel the rush? The blood pumping! Your eyes even turned lilac for a moment. Of course, I like your current red eyes." Yang turned her head at that. "You must have felt something! Tell me all your juicy secrets!" Dian continued.

"I swear to god, Dian! Today is the day I shoot yo-"

"Numb. I… didn't feel like anything _after-"_ Yang started.

"What about during?" Dian asked with intrigue.

"Yang, you don't have to tell her anything."

"It felt good to let it all out," Yang shamefully admitted.

"Ha! Suck it, Acid!" Dian exclaimed with glee.

Acid seemed downtrodden.

"I'm sorry," Yang apologized to Acid.

"No… no… you shouldn't be. Perhaps it's best. It's a rough business after all. It's just that… you're a kid. It shouldn't be like this for you."

"Don't worry, kiddo. It's not all about killing, _unfortunately,_ but there's the parties, the drugs, and the boys. Or girls. Acid could teach you all about that. Or me. I have been around the block." Dian winked at Yang.

Yang looked down before popping her head back up. "What about the police?! Or huntsmen?!"

Both Acid and Dian laughed.

"Oh those jokers? They can't do anything. They don't know about our semblances, so they won't crack down on us. And we got our weapons permit. Besides, no one is going to testify against us. We keep our neighborhoods relatively safe. People like the status quo. 'Sides, huntsmen are more needed in those villages outside the kingdom," Acid explained.

"Other than over-righteous and over-zealous huntsmen and huntresses, we have nothing to worry about," Dian added in.

"What is so special about semblances?" Yang asked.

"You see, Yang. People with aura, or ' _rogues'_ , are a lot more common than people suspect. They just hide their abilities and let them languish. See, the powers that be don't want to discourage people from hiding even though the hypocrites snatch up any kid with aura. They would rather find a use for someone with semblances. They would rather categorize them than have them as a potential enemy," Acid filled her in.

"Personally, they're a bunch of pussies."

"As opposed to creating a witch-hunt with the awakened and the enlightened?"

"Cut it with your old man lingo!"

They got into a small punching bout.

The limo stopped.

The two immediately ceased their bickering.

"Ready to meet your new boss?" Dian asked with a smile.

* * *

Hei poured himself a drink.

His crew was steadily growing, more than capable of butting heads with the other two gangs.

Although, he thought in long term. Semblance users were already becoming more and more common.

He considered hiring freelancers and drop-outs but they were loyal to the money. Hei preferred true loyalty.

He didn't need unloyal men. His crew, be them grunts or normals, they were loyal. Even if some of them were incompetent. Even if some of them talked shit behind his back, but that was because they were scared of his ambition.

Hence his little plan.

It was a genius plan. He was surprised that no one else thought of doing it. He did take a page out of the combat academies' book.

He already acquired a pair of ' _awakened'._ He gave a brief sigh. Acid was rubbing off him, with her outdated terminology.

Still, his two enforcers were invaluable.

And he hoped to duplicate the effect.

The two twins were bought off, due in part to… apathetic parents.

Of course, he wasn't going to be like those parents. The twins did deserve better. He shuddered what would have happened if he didn't buy their service. Hei liked to think he was a good person.

Well, he wasn't but he was better than most.

He was going to give these kids a chance at a somewhat normal childhood. There was a reason combat academies were nigh-indistinguishable from regular schools aside from one of them teaching how to fight. They needed warriors not weapons.

Same principle applied here.

The Malachite twins were quite a catch.

They had aura. Unlike those older mooks, they were still kids- still malleable. Of course, with most of the grunts, lazily exploited a supposed loophole with how they awakened their aura. It was a stupid move anyway. An ' _enlightened'_ could only unlock an aura once. The younger they are, the stronger their aura could be.

With time, they could even gain a semblance.

Which was his hope.

Hei took a sip of the bourbon before straightening his tie. Appearances were important. He was going to check upon the Malachite twins soon.

He did plan to occasionally train them, in order to strengthen a connection to them. Many would scoff at that, but a lifetime of loyalty is invaluable.

Setting down the glass, he began making his way toward the exit of his club until his two enforcers came in with a little blonde girl.

"Hei," Acid greeted him.

" _Junior,"_ Dian almost giggled out.

"So who is this?" he asked as he peered into the little girl's red eyes.

Dian opened her mouth before Acid shoved out of the way.

"Scat! I'll handle this."

Dian stuck her tongue out at Acid before going to the bar.

"This is Yang. And she has a semblance."

Hei tried to hold back his enthusiasm. A semblance? This young? He heard rumors and myths that children of huntsmen and huntresses were more susceptible to unlocking and ' _awaking'._

It was a distinct possibility.

"Hello, Yang," he greeted the kid.

Yang mumbled something back.

"Yang, is it okay if I could borrow your photo for a moment?" Acid asked.

Yang shook her head.

"Please… I want to help," Acid pleaded.

Yang handed Acid a worn-out photo. "Please give it back, when you're done."

"Sweetie, I need to talk to Hei for a moment. Go to Dian… but don't talk to her, please."

Yang walked there, but there was… a certain emptiness to it.

"So, what is it?" Hei asked.

Acid showed Hei a photo and pointed at the red-eyed woman.

"This is the kid's mother."

"Looks like a group of hunters," Hei commented.

"They do, but Yang is set on finding her mom."

"And you want me to help locate her? What about her dad?" Hei asked.

"I don't think Yang and him are on the best terms… especially now..."

"What happened?"

"She and her sister were in a Grimm attack. And..."

"Her sister didn't make it," Hei finished for her.

"Yep."

"And you want me to find her mother?" Hei paused. "Hmmm, a mom and daughter reunion. A favor from a huntress could always be invaluable."

Acid seemed a little pleased. She always had a tiny, soft spot for kids.

"So, what now?" Acid asked.

"Right now, I need you to oversee a transport. It's going to be on the fifth and sixth. And I'm going to send Yang with the other two."

"To where?"

"I secured a room at Charon Apartments. Acid, their training is going to start soon and I might need you and Dian to pitch in."

Acid nodded before walking out of the club while Dian groaned in the background.

"Dian! I need you to play babysitter!"

Dian's groaned louder.

* * *

"Get in, you scamps," Dian said as she opened the door for them.

Yang was herded in with a pair of twins. Hei had given her the photo back. First impressions were… decent. Dian got into the driver's seat and sped off.

"Hey, what's your name?" One of them asked. She was wearing a white flower pin.

" _Yang,"_ she mumbled. The muted feeling was fading away.

"I'm Melanie. And this is my _sister-"_ Yang flinched. _It wasn't her fault! "_ \- Miltiades."

"Call me Miltia," the one with red and white feathers in her hair.

"Miltiades-" Melanie started while Miltia shot her a dirty look. "- and I are excited!"

Yang cocked her head.

"Why?"

"We finally get to live in a better place. A taste of the upper class," they both exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah," Yang muttered.

"What's wrong?" Miltia asked.

Yang remained silent.

"Hey, don't bother blondie! She had traumatic experiences and shit! I think she lost her sis-"

 _It was the world's fault! She was going to make it pay! Not her fault!_

"-and she even killed someone. Mighty fine if I might say so," Dian finished.

"Really?" they exclaimed with a morbid curiosity at the last comment. They knew what they were training for. There was no delusion on what they were going to be.

Yang just nodded with a twisted sense of nostalgia. Not the memory of the action, but the feelings. The calm, the sense of peace.

It helped solidify the blame onto someone else.

The twins looked at each other when they remembered the first comment made. They had realized the implications that Yang had lost her sister. They said nothing, only giving her a hand on each of her shoulders.

Yang sobbed quietly as they comforted her the best they could.

Eventually they reached the apartments. Yang couldn't really recall the walk to the room. She just remembered locking herself in the bathroom and crying. Eventually, she had passed out.

 _It wasn't…_

 _She was sorry!_

 _Please!_

 _She just wanted everything to feel alright._

"I'm sorry, Ruby," she nearly choked out. All the events of today had blinded her from the grief. Now, in the quietness of the bathroom, it all came crashing down.

Ruby was gone. Whether it was her fault or the world's fault, it didn't change the fact _that Ruby was gone forever._ The fact that they weren't from the same mother didn't negate all the memories she had of Ruby.

All the hardships that broke her…

 _She won't ever be broken again._

She wouldn't make the same mistakes again. She won't ever bottle in that anger again. It led to...

Ruby was gone.

No amount of promises was going to change that.

" _I'm so sorry."_

She hated this feeling. She wanted it to go away! The feeling couldn't be pushed back. It had to be let out.

Her eyes opened suddenly and she faced herself in the mirror.

Red eyes greeted her. Yang heard those comments about them in passing, but she was seeing them for the first time.

Yang took it as a sign.

 _Keep moving forward,_ no matter the pain and heartache but she won't ever forget.

Her eyes briefly flashed lilac- her old eye color- as she punched the mirror. Her aura must have shattered, but that muted feeling returned and she felt… more in control.

Emerging from the bathroom, she found Dian trying and failing to make eggs.

" _Oh, babysit them, Dian! It'll be a breeze!"_ Dian said loudly, making no effort to conceal her disdain for her current role.

Dian turned to Yang and said, "I think I'll order pizza. That cool?"

Yang just shrugged.

"Listen, I could give less than two dicks about where you sleep, but be a dear and get the twins." She then took out her scroll and began ordering.

Yang went into the bedroom and found three sets of beds.

The twins were sound asleep.

" _Hey!"_ Yang shouted.

Both of them shot up and glared at Yang.

"Breakfast," Yang simply said. They both groaned at Yang.

Yang sat down at the table and soon the twins joined her.

The twins happily chatted while Yang sat in silence.

Miltia tried getting her to join in on the conversation, but Yang stubbornly refused.

Dian eventually sat down alongside them.

"Yang, stop being such a _fucking_ buzzkill."

She bore into Dian's… now red eyes.

"Boo-hoo. Bad stuff happened, _no shit._ Life is a goddamn rollercoaster, but it's better to be mad than sad. Whatever pain or _emo_ bullshit you're feeling is going to pass eventually. Might leave you with a few emotional scars or whatever. _But!_ I can't teach shit if you're mopey. So..."

Dian took out a bottle.

"Take a swig." Yang stared at it. It was like dad's. Would she? _Could_ she?

"But..."

"You need to loosen up! You can't bottle in your feelings. Be happy! Be mad! But don't be a fucking shut-in! Now take a swig."

With that, Yang took the bottle and took a big gulp.

She immediately coughed, the taste was foreign to her tongue but the feelings of peace returned. The fury was muted and everything felt clear. She could see what dad saw in alcohol.

The rage was no longer bottled in, and she felt more free.

"Better?" Dian asked.

"Yeah," Yang said half-heartedly.

"A little more enthusiasm!"

" _Hell yeah!"_

 _Ding-dong!_

"That must be the pizza." Dian got up and went to the door.

"Are you alright, Yang?" Milita asked.

"A bit better," Yang admitted. "Might take another swig..."

Dian yanked the bottle out of her hand. "No! Don't over do it, you dummy! I just wanted to give you a little boost, not turn you into an alcoholic."

She slammed the pizza onto the table. "Now eat up ya brats. When training starts, you're going to hate the fuck out of me."

* * *

Yang and the twins went through four whole weeks of training.

Yang liked it despite Dian's promise that they would hate her. Acid ironically was the least favorite despite her being more easier on them.

The training provided an excellent outlet. She always felt more calm on the mat than anywhere else. She felt a bit better about herself.

A little more free.

A little more destructive.

She didn't stop grieving, Ruby would always be in her heart, reminding her not to make the same mistakes.

It was better to be mean and driven most of the time than to let it all out in a single, annihilating burst of sound and fury.

"Come on, you three," Acid called out from the sidelines.

Yang was facing both Melanie and Milita. Melanie adopted a kick-boxer's stance. Yang always had trouble with Melanie.

Yang always preferred quick and hard punches. Milita was of the same sort. Yang could always brute-force her way with Miltia.

That might not apply here.

Yang won more than the both of them combined hence this little fight session.

Two versus one.

The twins circled around Yang.

Yang put up her fists. Ever since Hei's little lessons, she became enthralled with his particular fighting style. It was a boxer's style.

Of course, Hei was heavy on ducking and weaving before slugging away.

' _Fists up. Keep them close put not too close!'_

 _She swung at Hei._

 _'Put your back into it! You will hit harder.'_

 _She put her weight into the punch._

 _'Good! Now come at me!'_

 _Yang launched a series of punches but Hei managed to avoid them before tripping Yang onto the mat._

 _'You can obviously throw a punch, but landing one is a different matter. Now again!'_

She did it a different way. Her aura was weaker than normal, but that helped her semblance immensely. It was easier to figure out that pain made her hit stronger.

Today's fight would not allow her to do that. Acid wanted Yang not to be so reliant on her semblance, citing that aura was a life-saver.

She didn't want to learn all these aura techniques.

Why would she?

One punch was all it took.

So, Acid switched it up. First one to have their aura depleted was out.

Milita charged from the front while Melanie charged from the back.

Yang managed to grab Miltia's wrist mid-punch and threw her into Melanie, knocking the two to the ground.

She tried slamming her fist into them, but Melanie kicked her away. The two of them got up and charged at Yang together.

Melanie kicked her in the stomach before Miltia smacked her to the ground, her aura already depleted.

Yang slammed her fists onto the ground and took off the bracelet.

"Deep breathes, Yang," Acid called out helpfully.

Yang just went to the punching bags and began punching it. She let out several cries of frustration. Every swing sent it flying further and further.

Acid clapped her hands and said, "Well, this was a… productive session. Good teamwork, Melanie and Miltia. A bit sloppy on your form, but nothing that can't be fixed. And Yang, you can't just keep tanking hits. The fastest way isn't always the best way."

Yang stopped punching and let out a sigh.

"C'mon, that's enough for today. I don't suppose any of you want to go out and eat?"

The twins eagerly agreed while Yang pondered about it.

"What did I say about being a mope?!" Dian called out as she entered the room.

"Fine, fine. I'll go."

The car ride there was eventful. Yang let herself smile… just a little bit. The twins did their damnedest to try and get Yang to smile. Even when Yang was angry, they didn't hate her.

' _Come on, don't be so yangry,' they both said together._

 _'Next person who says a pun has to spar with me!' Dian hollered._

Sometimes it was dumb little jokes.

' _Why did the Ursa cross the road?'_

 _'Because it couldn't_ bear _the woods!'_

Other times, they told happy little stories.

' _One time Melanie tried wearing a pair of high heels and fell down the stairs.'_

 _'Miltia!'_

 _'Oh come on, it was funny. You swore off high heels after that.'_

It was a little competition between the twins. They knew Yang wasn't always so hard-headed and Yang had to admit she couldn't be angry all the time.

Of course, Yang didn't want to be angry all the time.

It was just the best way to deal with her problems. Although, she couldn't be… _'mopey'_ all the time. Dian would make her training harder.

Still, there was a certain emptiness to it all. Her anger and frustration was _real_ , but it was reserved for being her drive to train. Her sorrow, while it has forever tainted her, was subsiding away slowly.

Acid and Dian were like Uncle Qrow when she thought about it. They acted like aunts, but not like a parent.

She wanted her mom.

Hei said there was rumors she was in Mistral but it wasn't a certainty.

 _She needed her mom._

"So ice cream?" Acid asked.

"We had ice cream last time," Melanie said.

"Barbeque?" Miltia suggested.

"Is everyone in agreement?" Acid asked.

There was a sound ' _yeah!'_ , Yang even joined in.

Life was getting better, however slowly. It wasn't like before with Summer… and _Ruby_ , but it was nice having people to support her. They gave her space when she needed it, and when she needed a shoulder… Acid was there.

They pulled up to a small little shop.

' _Nature Town Barbeque.'_

As soon as they got seated, Acid went over to the counter to place their orders. The owner was phoning someone. Yang wasn't particularly picky. And Acid knew enough about the twin's personal preferences to order for them.

A car rolled on by and Acid stared at it.

About a second later, she yelled, " _Get down!"_

She flung the table to make cover. The twins and Yang ducked behind it.

"Listen, they have _guns._ And you are _not_ ready. Stay here and don't do anything, _do you understand?"_

They all nodded.

" _Good."_

Acid shot out of cover and started running toward the car, guns blazing. Sounds of gunfire and screams filled the shop.

Yet, the store-owner had a weird grin on his face and sped toward the three. He tried grabbing Miltia but Melanie kicked him the crotch while Yang tackled the man away.

However, more men wearing those brown jackets came in from the back and dragged Yang away.

She punched and kicked to no avail.

The men got fed up with the struggling child and knocked her out.

Yang woke up, tied to a chair.

"Didn't know Acid decided to adopt a couple of kids," the man said.

He had a scar over his face and had dirty yellow teeth.

"Do you know who I am girlie?" he asked, leaning in.

Yang spat in his face.

 _She won't break!_

He chuckled for a second before slapping her with his backhand. Her aura was already down.

"You will learn _respect_."

"Such a cliché line," Yang replied.

The anger was the only thing keeping her from panicking. She had to stay strong.

"Funny, you're more in line with Dian than Acid. Now tell me, why in this line of business, would they take you kids in?"

Yang had to think. She couldn't break these bonds with her aura strength, but…

Her semblance.

" _Fuck you!"_ Yang hollered at the man.

He punched Yang again. The pain burned, but it was _fuel._

" _You think I'll talk to a bitch like you?!"_

" _I'm Red 'Motherfuckin' Ripper! And I'll make you talk!"_ He pulled out a small pocket knife and stuck into Yang's leg.

Yang screamed in pain, the pain was too much.

She began to feel hot.

She took a deep breath. The pain was fuel. All she had to do was light it. She had to be more powerful. Strength wasn't enough, _she needed more._

 _A sudden roar of flames shot out._

The man screamed as Yang broke the bonds tying her down.

"Semblance user!" Red yelled out in fire.

Yang brought her fist into the man's stomach, and when she brought it back, it was covered in red.

The smell of burnt meat filled the air. Several men entered with guns and baseball bats.

Like the dragons of myth, she radiated fire.

She struck her palms together as hard as she could.

A wave of fire blinded the men, giving Yang the chance to attack.

One punch was all it took.

Every punch further engulfed the men in flames. She was a whirlwind of destruction and fury.

As the last man pleaded for her, she brought her fist down.

She yelled.

It was a cry.

Everything was being let out.

The pain, the hate, the fury, the sorrow.

Everything.

She didn't want this.

She wanted her mom.

If they wanted to stop her, she would have to stop them.

She collapsed into an arriving Acid's arms.

* * *

"They took Yang!" the twins cried out.

Their concern for Yang was sweet, but Acid couldn't focus on that.

She took out her scroll and called one of Hei's men to pick up the kids.

There was a limited time frame of interrogation. The owner would have hell to pay. Good thing Yang managed to keep him from running.

She grabbed the man and threw him into the wall. " _Talk!"_

The man looked terrified but remained silent.

She took a chair and broke off one of it's legs.

"Listen, fucker. You know what I'm doing?"

The man shook his head.

"I'm channeling my fucking aura in this. It might not channel properly, but suffice to say, it will hurt a fuckton. Hell, it's what some people use for torture. So where did The Brown Ursas take her?!"

"They took her to one of the abandoned buildings near the highway! Please don't hurt me."

"Which fucking building?!" Acid screamed.

"I don't know!" he cried out.

Acid yelled back and swung the chair leg at the man's head, cracking it open.

Her hands started shaking and she started feeling itchy again.

 _No!_

This was the longest she had gone without _it._ She had to focus! She had to find Yang.

The highway wasn't that far off. She broke off into a sprint toward the highway, revolvers still in hand. Five minutes had passed, but that was too long. Yang could be in trouble.

A raven's caw beckoned her attention to the third abandoned building.

Screams came from it.

 _Yang!_

She was going to make those bastards pay!

Bursting through the door, she found Yang, covered in blood. Her lilac eyes, pleading for something. Her hands were twitching and there was tears paving through the blood.

Acid went up to Yang and she needed someone to hold her. Acid holstered her guns.

Yang collapsed into her arms.

Acid carried the bloodied child out of the ruins. She had to get Yang back to Charon Apartments without being seen.

Her semblance was probably the only way she could do it. She looked to the rooftops. It was probably the safest way.

She took a deep breath and using her aura, leapt on top of the rooftop.

Every leap, she was the wind, unseen to the naked eye. She could only be the wind for a few seconds at the time.

If anyone saw her, it would only be for a moment.

Transforming Yang and herself into the wind was an exhausting task, but she had to get Yang to safety.

Eventually, she made it to the apartment. She managed to enter through the window. She almost didn't the jump. Yet, she did have to climb the rest of the way up.

Reaching the room, Dian and the twins yelped in surprise.

"Holy shit! You look like shit!" Dian yelled.

"Take Yang and clean her up!" Acid commanded her before lurching over.

"Oh god," Acid muttered before puking out her brains. Side-effect of overusing her semblance and she used it way _too_ much.

The twins stood there helplessly as Dian went to the bathroom with an unconscious Yang while Acid felt weak and powerless.

Eventually, Acid wiped the puke off her face and stumbled to the bathroom. Dian finished cleansing the blood off Yang.

" _Making me a nanny,"_ Dian grumbled. "What the fuck happened?"

Acid coughed for a moment before answering, "Ambush. You need to dress any wounds she has. It was Brown Ursas. Kidnapped Yang."

"Let me guess, you slaughtered them all?"

Acid shook her head. "Not me, Yang."

"Holy shit," Dian picked up Yang and making their way to the bedroom. "Proud of this little killer."

Acid didn't say anything, instead merely plopping down onto the couch and passing out.

* * *

Yang awoke, unable to move without feeling intense pain.

She tried calling out for someone, but her voice was hoarse.

"Hey, you're finally up," Dian said.

"What happened..." Yang started to ask, before she realized what happened. "Oh my god… I killed them all. I'm… a..."

"Made me proud," Dian said with a smile.

"What?" Yang asked in a daze.

"For proving me right. Tell me, are you feeling better?" Dian asked.

"Despite the pain, a little better."

"Yeah, you got a knife to the leg. Forgot about that." Dian took out a bottle of pills and tossed it to Yang alongside a bottle of water.

"Take two, you'll feel much better. Actually take four. You deserve to feel good."

Yang took the pills and that muted feeling returned after a few minutes.

"Can… can I get up?"

"Be my guest, Acid might bust your balls but after what you did, you deserve it."

Yang got up slowly. She felt better. Everything wasn't muddled down.

She swaggered in and sat down to the twins.

"Yang, are you alright?" Milita asked.

"Better than alright. Just dandy. Good. Great."

Yang stretched and put her head on of the twins. "So tired."

"I don't like feeling mad. I just wanna be happy. I love you guys for putting up with me," Yang slurred.

"Yeah… no problem," Melanie said, carefully removing Yang's arm from her shoulder.

"I know… I'm a bit of a bitch sometimes, considering I win all the time. But… I just don't want to make the same mistake again. I'd… rather be honest when I get upset. I can't hold my feelings back. I need to be open."

" _Open?"_ they asked, with a curious look in their eyes.

"Yeah… You guys are my _friends_. I don't think I ever thanked you. See, back at Patch. Nobody stuck with me. I was alone, pretending everything was alright. That led to… I made the biggest mistake of my life." Yang started tearing up.

The twins returned the hug, letting Yang to bear hug the both of them.

"But… despite all this. I want my mom. I want to be a part of a family again… I want a mom to love me again. I don't want to feel angry all the time. I don't want to constantly drive out my anger. I want to be happy! _I need my mommy._ " Yang started breaking down.

The twins hugged Yang a little tighter. "We'll help you, Yang. You're our friend."

Yang gave a small smile through the tears before passing out.

* * *

Hei went through several pieces of info.

He was practically tracking several people at once.

Some bitchy lady wanted him to find Lopez. He's got a lead, but he still needed to follow through with it. Lopez was a slippery bastard, but recently he had gone silent.

Obviously something happened. Hence, Hei was going through the records of mercenaries in Vale.

Then there was Yang's mother. With all he has done for Yang, he knew there would be no problem having Yang's loyalty.

No doubt, Yang could work with him under her free time… _if_ he could even find this damn Raven. She was a ghost.

She operated as a huntress, but she felt more like a mercenary. She didn't scream good mother material. Hell, it was bad enough that Hei considered his organization raising Yang more healthy than Raven.

Then there was her brother. Qrow Branwen. He was back in town after reports of him in Mistal. There was a lady with him, but Hei hasn't got anything on her. Perhaps just some floozy he picked up?

And Yang's father, Taiyang Xiao Long. They had apparently teamed up trying to find Yang. Initial thoughts? A shaky alliance.

He considered limiting Yang's interactions with the outside world until the heat died down and she was ready. Actually after today's events, he _was_ going to do just that. He wasn't going to isolate the kid. That could lead to having a socially awkward kid or worse. Besides, kids were going to do what they pleased. Better to do it safely.

He might need to change Yang's general appearance. Perhaps let her hair grow out?

Then there was the matter of today's little ambush. Yang went above and beyond. The underground news had nothing on Yang or his organization.

Yet, the ambush was clearly a rush job… and the Brown Ursas clearly escalating. Hei had been making moves into their territory.

Vale effectively had three large gangs: Hei's organization, the Brown Ursas, and the Predators. That wasn't even including the smaller groups like the CCC and the Fake AH Crew.

Speaking of which, there were rumors that the Fake AH Crew was wiped out a few hours ago. The word on the street was that they robbed Torchwick of something. Hei speculated that they had overheard Torchwick's heist plan and tried robbing it first.

Hei didn't tell. He had a reputation to uphold.

Torchwick must have finally hooked up with a crew or hired someone to take them out. The Fake AH Crew was actually skilled and _slightly_ competent for people that didn't have auras.

Still, hopefully he wouldn't meet the person that slaughtered them. Whoever they were, they were bad news.

The Brown Ursas were also bad news. Clearly they had tried attacking him through his two enforcers.

Which was a big mistake on their part.

Ever since they buried their only semblance user six feet under, they were getting antsy. They were never too hot-headed to think things through.

Through his organization and the police putting pressure, they were going to be fast-tracked into the ground soon enough.

The Predators were a different story.

 _'They were a group of cold motherfuckers'_ as Dian so eloquently put it. Hei was more than aware of the fact that they were waiting for the Brown Ursas and his group to finish their fighting and then take out the winner.

Well, that wasn't going to happen.

Hei made a mental note to assign Acid to taking out the Predators and Dian on the Brown Ursas.

Acid was calm and rational enough to take on the Predators. Lord help everyone if Dian decided to fight the Predators. Dian's plans of attack usually ended up being drive through the front gate and kill everyone.

Which was why Dian was more suited to finishing off the Brown Ursas. They were in their dying throes. Dian was just the spark that finished them off.

The Predators needed nuance. Acid was good at sabotage. She was going to put the pressure on them. Until they cracked, and then Hei could finish the rest of them.

He was going to prove to them that he was the best. He was going to crave his mark onto this kingdom. Everyone had underestimated him. That was going to be their last mistake.

He was going to bury them.

* * *

She watched through the trees.

The blonde one shouldering the blow for the red-headed one. She had the anger- the fury- the courage to take on a beowolf with her pair hands.

She was struggling but one couldn't survive without experience. The blonde one had tools to save herself. So the one who watched stayed her hand.

She saw the red-headed one. Too young to comprehend what had happened. She ran and ran, becoming one with the wind. She was like her mother when the summer was young. She considered saving the red-headed one. Out of respect for those who were lost.

Although, she got to stay her hand for the second time. A mysterious stranger saved the red-headed one. The red-headed one was no longer her problem.

She returned to the blonde one. She was victorious over the simple Grimm.

Perhaps, the blonde one had potential. An older blonde took the kid.

She watched through the trees.

She watched through the skylines. The wolf wouldn't be hunting the strangers tonight. The strangers may had protected the sheep through insidious means, yet the one who watched knew extinction for the sheep was not an option.

For the third time, she stayed her hand. A one bearing a helmet and a shield came and captured the wolf. If the one who watched wagered that the one with the helmet and shield worked for the strangers.

She watched through the skylines.

She watched the tower. A Beacon of hope- of unity.

The crow was there alongside the witch and _Ozpin._ There was another one there. A girl with a staff. An unknown piece.

They shared secrets and then the crow seemed outraged. He flew toward the island of the dragon.

She watched the tower.

She watched the bar.

The little crow took on the slumbering dragon. The dragon didn't fight back. Perhaps out of penance. The crow nearly killed the dragon. The two then gained a mutual understanding.

The crow and the dragon set forth to reclaim what was lost.

She watched the bar.

She watched the abandoned building.

The blonde one was significantly more impressive during this bout. Fire roared as she slaughtered them all.

The one who watched considered swooping in at that moment, but for the fourth time stayed her hand.

Another took her place and carried the blonde one back with a gust of wind.

She watched the abandoned building.

She watched the crow's message.

Desperation forced the crow and the dragon to use the common masses to help find what they had lost. The red-headed one was fine as far she knew.

The blonde one?

When the time came, perhaps she may claim her.

The one who watched knew that the slumbering dragon was not at his prime. He hasn't been in his prime for a long time.

Bogged down by age, he grew weaker… indulging in eccentricities not meant for the battlefield. The dragon was not the one whom she fell in love with.

Besides, the life he intended was not for her.

The one who watched could not be tied down. The offspring did try to force her into a role she could not play.

If she was to take up the blonde, then the blonde would not play the role of the offspring but an apprentice. Was it possible for an apprentice to be a daughter at the same time?

Perhaps.

Yet the one who watched would not dare to find that out.

She continued to watch the crow's message.

Then she made her choice.

She found the crow searching and made contact.

Landing down, the two locked eyes.

"Qrow."

" _Raven._ "

She watched the dusty old crow.

* * *

 **Next chapter: The Three Bears**


	8. The Three Bears

Chapter 8: The Three Bears

* * *

Yang rubbed her leg. Aura had healed it rather quickly, but there was still a lingering pain to it. Even after three days, it still caused her some pain. It was going to scar. Unlike the ursa… incident, aura couldn't heal this.

Aura was at it's strongest when it first became unlocked. Acid was very pushy about teaching all of them about aura. Yang tried to pay attention to the lessons but couldn't.

Besides, her leg was temporarily busted, so she couldn't even train. So, she had to endure Acid's boring lessons about aura. Sometimes it seemed interesting, other times it was boring. Yet, the one thing that Yang didn't like was Acid's insistence for her to meditate.

It was to ' _strengthen'_ her aura. Yang couldn't see the point. It would hinder her semblance.

She turned her gaze to the television.

The twins were engaged in some sort of game. It was a fighting game. Melanie was the ' _Soaring Ninja'_ and Miltia the ' _Dancing Samurai'._

Melanie was losing badly and she let out a large groan when Miltia finally won.

"You wanna have a go?" Melanie asked, holding out the scroll to Yang.

Yang paused to consider it.

Miltia added in, "Are ya chicken?"

"You're on!" Yang exclaimed.

Despite the minor pain, she hopped onto the couch and grabbed the controller.

A few seconds later, Yang threw the controller down while Melanie did a small victory dance.

"Don't make me hurt you," Yang threatened.

"Oh please, like you could beat me now," Melanie retorted.

"Please knock it off, you two," Miltia said. "We don't need another fight."

"Because I'd win," Both Yang and Melanie said at the same time.

"No fighting, you two!" Acid called out from the kitchen.

Hei had Dian and Acid rotate on who watched over them.

Today Acid was watching over them. Acid often brought along a friend to help watch them. Umber Ethereal was a security guard over at Charon Apartments and they would often see Umber making her rounds.

She was nice enough. Umber reminded Yang of Dian, just a bit nicer and less crude. Best of all, she could actually cook. Acid could only make ' _healthy'_ fruit smoothies and Dian just ordered pizza for them. Pizza was fine enough, but when Dian was watching them, that was all they ate.

"Breakfast is ready!" Umber called out.

The kids ran out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Yang sat down in between the twins while Acid sat at the head of the table.

Umber had made pancakes with eggs for eyes and bacon for a smile.

Melanie said something about how corny and childish the pancakes were.

"Show some appreciation, Melanie," Acid said.

"I slaved over this stove, so a thank you would be in order. Otherwise, you can all drink Acid's smoothies," Umber added in.

" _No!"_ they all shouted.

"What's wrong with my smoothies? They're healthy! The drink of warriors!"

"They're trash," Umber said bluntly.

"Oh, how you wound me," Acid cried out dramatically.

The twins and Yang started digging in the food and avoiding Acid and Umber's debate over the validity of Acid's smoothies.

Breaking away from the argument, Umber asked the kids, "So, any of you want sweets?"

Acid looked offended that Umber didn't finish their argument.

The twins gave a resound ' _yes'_ while Yang continued to eat the pancake.

"Perhaps, I could bake _cookies,"_ Umber said.

Yang dropped her fork. It reminded Yang of her sister and subsequently, the ' _incident'._ This was one of the few times Yang had a moment of crisis.

How could she sit here, pretending- _ignoring_ the fact that her old life was gone? She killed her sister. Perhaps, she could have reconciled with her dad and prevented all that before everything went to shit.

She couldn't go back to her old life. She had to keep moving forward. Yet, that lone thought couldn't stop the grief. She hated this feeling.

Getting up from the table, she went toward the bathroom.

Umber asked what was wrong with Yang. Acid was familiar with Yang's little moments of depression and guilt.

Acid told her and Umber looked horrified.

Yang locked herself in the bathroom.

She hated feeling guilty, why couldn't it go away?!

Those feelings were out of mind, until that one little thing set her off. She didn't want to feel this way.

The mirror held her tortured self. It had to go away! She knew better to bottle in these feelings. Her eyes flashed lilac.

She punched the wall next to the mirror and again. Her aura shattered and her hand started bleeding.

Usually, this helped but right now, it wasn't working.

If she kept it up, then there would be some… _'discussion'_ later, but she could handle this herself.

 _Could she?_

She wished that she still had one of those pills. This feeling came and go, but she wished she didn't have to deal with it.

She wished that things could have turned out differently.

Maybe if she was more open- honest with her feelings, she could have snapped dad out of his depression. Then he could started acting like a father again.

 _Oh god, could she ever face her dad again?_

Ruby wouldn't have to deal with Yang pretending everything was alright.

 _And Ruby would still be alive._

She cried, temporarily dispelling those feelings.

She took a deep breath. She couldn't be mopey and she couldn't give up or break down. Besides Dian wouldn't allow her. Yang had to be strong.

It would be an insult to stop now. She set on this path, and she couldn't stop moving forward. It would be an insult to Ruby's memory to lie down and die.

As Dian would say, ' _Being sorry doesn't change shit. You can cry all you want, but eventually you gotta stand up. You aren't dead. You aren't dying. You aren't being tortured. So finish up those tears. You better stand before I make you stand.'_

In her own way, Dian made sense.

She wasn't dead. She wasn't like those men who wanted to kill her. It was an awkward feeling. She felt nothing for those men but felt everything for Ruby. She was here… _alive._ Through all the hardships, the blood she had shed; she was here.

Ruby wouldn't want her to give up. Yang liked to think that Ruby heard her apology before… it happened.

She made herself believe that Ruby understood all the sacrifices she made and that Ruby forgave her. Yang wanted Ruby to be happy. So, Ruby must have wanted Yang happy. Despite the different mothers, they were sisters, blood or no blood.

' _Things could only get better and I'll help you find your mom.'_ Acid would say to her.

Her mom had to make things better… like Summer did. Her mom had to make these feelings go away. She wanted someone to confide in. Acid and the twins were nice, but their bond wasn't family. Their bond was closer to being friends.

Yet, she had no family bonds. Ruby was gone and her dad probably hated her. The journey before her was uncertain.

* * *

Umber felt bad. No… that didn't quite accurately described the feeling.

She felt like an insensitive bitch. Even though, she didn't quite know that it would set Yang off. Umber managed to kill the mood for a good couple of minutes until Yang came out.

She didn't seem quite as upset as before, but still… there was no smile on her face.

Umber didn't know what to say. Saying sorry would only remind Yang of what had happened. Goddamn, she didn't like the atmosphere of the whole apartment. Although, she should have expected it. Yang hadn't quite gotten over her sister's death. Yang couldn't be happy all the time.

Yet, Yang couldn't be sad all the time. Umber was going to help the kid whenever she could. Only a cold-hearted bastard would feel no sympathy.

Yang sat down on the couch while the rest gave their space. Umber contemplated if she could keep her distance.

Against her better judgment, she sat down next to Yang.

Umber didn't say anything. If Yang wanted to say something, then she'd speak up. Perhaps, just the mere presence of another human being could help.

Eventually after a small period of silence, Yang spoke up.

"Does it ever get better?" Yang asked.

Umber guessed that Yang needed reassurance.

"It does. It may not happen all at once, but it gets easier. Besides, you got friends to help you through this. We're here to support you," Umber said.

"Yeah..."

"Things _will_ be better, Yang. You just have to wait and see."

"Thanks, Umber."

Umber's scroll buzzed and she checked it before turning it off. An employee having a scroll on was frowned upon. It was all too easy to slack off with it and Umber was a model employee.

"Looks like break time's over." She got up from the couch and faced Acid. "I'm going. Try not to cause too much trouble."

"Why? You gonna bust my ass?" Acid asked sarcastically.

"Yes. You're all in my domain now!" Umber said and, in an exaggerated fashion, turned to face each one.

Yang gave a little smile.

Umber was going to take that as a small victory.

"Take care," she said as exited the room.

It was back to the daily grind.

She got to the elevator and there was a man already in there. They were both heading for the lobby.

"Hey, cutie. Name's Felix."

He was good lucking enough, she would indulge him. It has been awhile anyway.

"Umber."

"So, you here for business or pleasure?" he asked.

"Oh, I work here. As a security guard."

"Really? I guess it's all business then," he said dejectedly.

"Doesn't mean I can't bust into your room," Umber replied jokingly.

"Really? Well, I heard there might be some trouble in room six-three-six."

"I might have to check it out tomorrow in the afternoon then," Umber said with a wink.

"I'm sure the culprit will be right there," Felix replied with his own wink.

The elevator doors opened and they went their separate ways.

Felix seemed like a nice guy.

* * *

"You're _fucking_ shitting me. Fucking _Felix_ is here in Charon?! And he is on the same fucking floor as us?" Acid said angrily.

"Yep," Hei replied simply.

"I told you we should have gone with a different apartment but _noooo_."

"Look I get it. But, he isn't on any job against us." Hei kept his cool. He had to; he was the boss.

"How the hell did you even know he was here specifiably?"

"I was following a lead for some mean and angry bitch. It led to Felix and subsequently to Charon."

"Whatever. I'm not staying near that psycho. I'm bringing the kids to the club until Felix leaves."

"Fine."

Acid shut her scroll. She pondered if she call Umber but she realized that Umber kept her scroll off during business hours.

Umber could handle herself. She wasn't dumb.

"Come on, kids. We're going to the club."

"But Aaacid! It's the weekend! You said we wouldn't have to train today!" Melanie cried out. Yang and Miltia didn't seem to mind.

"You're not going to train, but I've got an errand to run at the club."

Melanie couldn't argue against Acid.

Acid and the kids didn't encounter Umber or Felix, thankufully. They saddled up in the car and made their way to Hei's club.

The twins managed to cheer Yang up a bit better.

Hell, they even managed to get Yang to tell a pun.

The three were playing a game of 'I Spy' and after Yang won, she said, "Looks like I ' _twin'_."

It was just kids being kids. They would grow out of this phase soon enough, it's better for them to enjoy it while they still can.

Acid was just happy that through it all, Yang could still smile and laugh and joke around. The world hasn't taken her down completely.

As much as she hated to agree with Dian, nobody needed a crybaby. Yang was strong enough to deal with her own problems, even if she was slightly volatile. Even the twins had dealt with bad home life, but they had each other.

They deserved some degree of normalcy… because it wasn't going to last. Soon, they would grow up and become embroiled in the life like Dian and Acid.

Acid gripped the steering wheel.

It has been a long life for her. Arriving at the club, Acid took the three kids into the club. During the off-hours, the club was used as the main base of operations.

She brought the kids into the backroom before going up to Hei and Dian.

"Since you're here, I guess it would be time for us to discuss the Brown Ursas and the Predators," Hei started.

"What is there to discuss? They shoot us, we shoot them," Dian chimed in with her ' _wisdom'._

" _Obviously-"_ Acid gritted her teeth. "-the Brown Ursas are the immediate problem and the Predators are going to be a problem in the future."

"And?" Dian asked.

"Once we deal with the Brown Ursas, the Predators are going to swoop in while we're distracted-" Hei started.

"I got it, _Junior,"_ Dian spat.

"So, what's the gameplan?" Acid said.

"Well, I'm assigning Dian on the Brown Ursas, just to keep them busy. All focus would be on Dian while we slowly cut off their supply lines," Hei explained.

"And what about me?" Acid asked.

"I need you to keep eyes on the Predators and if possible indulge in some sabotage."

"Shouldn't I help with Dian?" Acid said while Dian scoffed. "The Brown Ursas are going to be looking for revenge after we killed one of their lieutenants."

"Red Ripper?" Dian broke out laughing. "All of those dumb ass lieutenants don't even have a semblance. And we killed the last one that did. The ones that do have aura are bitches."

"But they have numbers," Hei interjected.

"Then why not cut off the head of the snake?" Acid asked.

"For once, bitch-ass Acid may have a point. Why didn't we just kill the leader all?"

"You don't shake the barrel," Hei explained. "All-out violence gets huntsmen and huntresses on us. So this requires finesse. Besides, you kill the leader, the gang implodes and boom, we have all-out violence and several more factions. What we have to to do, is slowly cut off their resources and watch them shrivel up and die."

"Whatever happens if our little gang implodes?" Dian asked with interest.

"Then, we'd be out of a job. We're both horrible leaders."

"Says you, bitch-ass."

The club doors opened. Acid took out her pistols and Dian took out her railgun.

A man entered with his hands up. He was wearing the jacket of the Brown Ursas.

"I come in peace! I come in peace! The Brown Ursas just want to negotiate."

"Then where is your fearless leader?" Dian asked.

"Yes, our boss is totally going to walk into enemy territory," the man said flatly.

"Ah, so you're expendable," Dian mocked.

"Enough. So when does Kuma want to meet?"

"At your funeral." He pulled out a detonator. The three of them heard several cars pulling up.

"So lame," Dian muttered before firing a concentrated blast of ice Dust into the man. He was encased in a block of ice. She hoisted up her railgun.

"These guys are pushov-" She blinked, her eyes became a hazy green. " _Get down!"_

 _Boom!_

The frozen man exploded as the Brown Ursas flooded the club.

* * *

Yang and the twins entered the backroom.

It's where they trained. It was a relatively big room.

Melanie huffed as she sat down. It was the weekend and they just wanted an 'off' day. Miltia and Yang didn't mind. Whatever Acid had to do, they were sure it wasn't going to be long.

Miltia and Yang sat down next to Melanie.

"Hey, Yang?" Miltia started.

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever wonder what is going to happen when we finished our training?"

"Why ask me?"

"You've gotten closest to the real thing. You actually went out there and fought. I… I don't think I could do that. Is that going to be my entire life?"

Yang looked at Miltia.

"It..." Yang struggled to find the right words. This wasn't like the guilt with… _her_. It was different. "It was so easy."

"What do you mean?" Miltia asked.

"Fighting… _killing._ It wasn't some grand thing. It was like any other thing."

"It is? So… we're just in this life forever?"

Melanie scoffed. "So? Doesn't mean we can't have a normal life."

"Melanie does have a point. Just because we're going to do this as a… ' _job'_ , doesn't mean we can't have a normal life. We can still-" Yang cleared her throat and in a high-pitched voice said, " _paint our nails, try on clothes, and talk about cute boys."_

Melanie laughed while Miltia turned her head away.

"It's not funny," she said.

Yang chuckled. "Nothing wrong with that. Besides… it sounds nice. I'd like to do that sometime with you guys."

"Yeah! All we do is talk about training this and aura that. Maybe once we're done with training, we could actually go out and do _something_. And not just eat at some cheap restaurant that Acid takes us to."

"Yeah, if we weren't here!" Melanie complained loudly.

"Speaking of which, how long do you think Acid is going to be?" Miltia asked.

"Beats me," Yang replied.

A loud explosion interrupted their conversation.

"What's going on?" Melanie whispered.

"I don't know," Yang whispered back. "I should go check it out."

"No, I should! I have the strongest aura," Melanie retorted.

"Yeah, but I have a _semblance._ "

"Yeah, but you have literally _no_ aura. A semblance isn't going to help you if you get shot in the head!"

"Let's all just go!" Miltia broke up the argument. "Safety in numbers, right?"

Both Yang and Melanie grumbled in agreement as gunfire began echoing throughout the room.

They all poked their heads out the door and saw a large fight.

Acid was charging through hails of gunfire and shooting several of the men in brown jackets. She never missed her mark.

Dian didn't miss her mark either, but she seemed faster and more accurate than Acid. Beams of energy struck and vaporized several of the men.

Hei was a tank. He had a large metal bat and swung several of the men into the walls. The men left a considerable dent and a large red stain on the wall as they slide down.

Dian shouted, "Five aura users incoming!"

The three of them hopped behind the counter as the room was temporarily empty. The kids decided to take this chance.

They rushed over to the counter.

"What are you doing?" all three of them asked.

"What's going on?" Yang asked bluntly.

"What the fuck does it look like?" Dian asked.

"Go back to the room, we'll tell you when it's safe to come out," Acid said.

"We can help!" Melanie said.

"No, you can't. We got five aura users incoming. They could be really skilled or unskilled. We aren't going to risk you guys," Hei said.

"Now go-"

"They're here," Dian informed them.

"Then stay behind the counter," Acid said.

Hei folded the level of the weird looking baseball bat and reorganized it into a bazooka.

He got up from the counter and fired as Acid and Dian hopped over and the gunfire returned.

The kids covered their ears.

"We got to help!" Melanie said.

"Then we got to come up with a plan."

"I've got one." Yang and Melanie looked at Miltia.

"Yang's the strongest. She provides the firepower, then me and Melanie attack them while Yang keeps them busy," Miltia explained.

"I got to ramp up if it's going to work," Yang muttered. She looked around and saw several broken bottle shards scattered across the floor.

She picked up one.

"Are you sure about this?" Miltia asked.

"Come on. It's what we trained to do."

Yang stabbed her leg with the shard. It bounced off, but Yang could tell she did some damage to her aura. One more should do it.

She stabbed her leg and her aura shattered.

Yang took a deep breath and brought the shard down into her leg, right in the old knife wound from before.

"Argh!" Yang muttered again. The twins gasped before looking away.

"One more!" she gritted her teeth as she muttered that.

The shard opened the wound more as blood poured out. The pain began fueling her. Her hair started glowing, emitting small bursts of fire.

"Remember the plan," Yang said.

"Right behind you," both of them reassured her.

Yang punched her gaping wound and yelled.

She leapt over the counter and ran toward the first enemy she saw. All of the Brown Ursas were wearing the same getup but they all had different facial features. Some had bright hair, others dark. Some had facial piercings others hat.

It was an exemplary example of the culture's individuality.

She punched the first man, as a wave of fire pushed him back. The twins took advantage of the distraction and while wielding small shards of glass. They slashed some of the men's knees before running into cover. Acid and Dian took advantage of that and landed several critical hits on the men.

One of them swung a baseball bat right into her jaw. She retaliated with a punch to the groan. The man fell onto the floor.

She looked around, two of them left. Melanie and Miltia took care of the first man she struck while Acid and Dian of two of them.

Yang brought her foot down into the man's head before one of the Brown Ursas managed kick her into the counter, knocking her out.

* * *

"Yang!" they all cried out.

Dian turned to the man that knocked Yang into the wall. She aimed her gun at him and let loose a beam of fire.

The man cried out in pain as the fire seared his skin. There was one more Brown Ursa, Hei probably wanted him alive.

She saw a weak point in the man's knee joint. Dian rushed over and smashed the man's knee joint with her foot before punching him in the jaw.

The man was knocked out cold.

Acid rushed over to Yang and began tending to her. Dian wasn't suited for that type of role. Acid took Yang into the backroom, probably to tend to her wounds.

"Is Yang going to be alright?" the twins asked.

"She's going to be fine."

Hei took out his scroll and began calling for a body cleanup. Hei trusted his enforcers to take care of other business.

"Look, what you did was _really_ fucking stupid. But brave. You get some brownie points for that. Now, hang out in the backroom and keep quiet. I've got to talk to Junior over there."

Dian waited for Hei to finish up his call.

"So, what now, boss-man?"

"We strike back. We're going to disrupt their businesses and kill some of their high-profile members," Hei said before going back to his scroll.

It made sense. They needed to save face. If they did nothing, then they would be effectively saying that they were bending over and ready to be fucked up the ass.

But Hei wasn't going to go all out. The Brown Ursas went all out on Junior's gang and on Junior himself.

Besides, they hurt Dian's ' _lil killer'._ Dian felt that something should be done for Yang. She wasn't going to stand around while they attack her gang.

Several of Junior's gang entered. She hated their black and red suits, and she had no idea why Acid took up Junior's dress code.

She entered the backroom while Acid was taking care of Yang. Acid was really good at dressing wounds.

"Hey, move over Acid. Gotta talk to our _'lil'_ killer. Besides, the twins could use some comfort and shit."

Acid glared at her before moving away.

"It hurts..."

"Yeah, I know. Geez, why you gotta be so stupid and so brave."

"Saved your sorry butt," Yang quietly retorted.

"Heh. Yeah. I know I shouldn't give you this, but a little kid like you shouldn't deal with pain like that."

Dian took out a small bottle.

"Take three."

Yang gulped down the pills.

"Now, just try to stay still and don't go anywhere."

Dian went over to Acid and the twins.

"You only got lucky because we wore them down! What you did was reckless and dumb and-"

"Pretty damn brave," Dian butted in.

Acid gave her a death glare, but Dian ignored her.

"Look, we gotta make sure they're readying for this lifestyle. And I'd say they did a pretty damn good job."

Melanie shyly kicked the ground while Miltia beamed.

Acid opened her mouth before shutting it.

"You open your mouth like one of Pink's whores."

"Shut up. Now I gotta tend to Yang." Acid turned around and shouted, "Where's Yang?"

" _MY NAME IS HEI AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT."_

"Looks like someone other than you called Hei ' _Junior'_ to his face," Acid grumbled.

Dian giggled. Hei _really_ didn't like being called Junior, especially to his face. When Dian first got recruited, she took joy in calling him that.

He was mostly used to Dian calling him Junior even if he flinched every now and again. Dian and Acid entered the room. Hei was calming down but he was still fuming.

Yang was busy walking around dazed.

"I assume you did this?" Junior asked Dian.

"Why would suspect me?" Dian asked innocently.

"Only you would give a kid painkillers."

" _You gave Yang painkillers!?"_ Acid nearly shouted.

" _So?"_

"Now some mean bitch thinks I'm a pedo. All it takes is for her to spread that lie around. You know how much that might kill my rep?" Hei retorted.

"Keyword being _might._ "

"Ugh."

" _Wow._ This place looks like shit," a familiar voice said.

Dian turned to the entrance. A long, pink-haired seductress entered the room. She had a pink eyes with long eyelashes. Bright, pale, _smooth_ skin.

She was dressed on a pink, sparkling dress with heels.

 _Pink Jezebel._

Dian didn't like her. She was way too feminine for her tastes, but she carried a mean streak that Dian could respect. Come onto her or her whores too rough, then they would wake up with a knife in the back or all their limbs chopped off and shipped off to Mistral.

What Dian did like about Pink was her man-whores… and on occasion her whores.

"What happened here?" Pink asked.

"None of your business," Acid said.

"Whatever. We've got business to discuss. The Brown Ursas thought it'd be nice to attack one of my brothels. Of course, they didn't expect my boys and girls to shoot back."

"Well, looks like they're more organized than I thought."

Acid, Pink, and Hei started talking strategy.

"I'm going to go out," she informed before leaving.

She skulked around the Brown Ursas's territory. She _opened_ her eyes and began looking at the places where Kuma could be. She could see people dealing drugs, trading blows, and everything else.

Then she saw who she was looking for. Kuma was in his mansion at the outskirts.

She took a deep breath as her eyes started to bleed. That part of her semblance was rougher than the rest.

Making her way to the mansion, she arrived at her destination. She stood above the fenced-off mansion and took careful aim.

There were several Brown Ursas outside guarding the house. Three outside, five in the house. She took out her railgun. She pressed a button and a small shuffling noise emitted from her gun. The Dust crystals were rotating inside before stopping. The gun was glowing a small blue light.

She fired the first shot as time began slowing down. Her eyesight may be running on a faster level but her body still moved the same speed. Still, she was aware of the fact that she might be missing the details behind her. It was an unnerving feeling and as much as Dian hated to admit it, having Acid watch her back was a relief.

The first guy was frozen as the other two began turning slowly. Adjusting her aim slightly, she fired two blasts.

Then there were three frozen bodies, silently screaming.

She hopped over the fence and went past the cold corpses. She went to the door and scanned the door. No alarm systems. _Sloppy sloppy._

She broke off the handle and entered the house. Kuma was on the fourth floor, his guards were playing poker on the third.

Making her way to the third floor, she stopped right in front of the ' _poker'_ door. She popped open her railgun and took out the blue Dust crystal.

The three didn't hear Dian. She busted through the door and energizing the crystal then threw the crystal onto the table.

Like a grenade, it exploded, unleashing a frosty hell for the three.

Now, it was time for the big man himself.

Reaching the fourth floor, she scanned the room. Kuma was a bronze-skinned and bald man. He wore a sleeveless brown leather jacket. It seemed like he was doing taxes or something.

He had aura. She didn't know if he had a semblance. Most kept their semblance a secret of they could. She needed to strike hard and fast.

Her railgun was perfect for the job. She switched the railgun to the red Dust crystal. Cranking the dial to the max, she placed the railgun to the door and managed sure her aim was true.

A large and unstable beam of fire blasted through and knocked Kuma into the wall, his aura shattered. He took out his weapons. Circular saws were attached to a pair of pistols.

Her railgun was overheated by the blast. He began open firing on Dian. She charged at him. He began swinging the spinning saws.

" _Let's see how you handle Ying Zhao Pai!"_

Oh dear lord, he was shouting his weapon's name like a prick. Nobody saw Dian shouting her weapon's name. ' _Oh taste the fury of my Tesla Recoil!'_ Please.

"Don't be a pretentious prick!"

It was easy to dodge his attacks when she could see them as they were coming. Her eyes started bleeding again.

Dian ducked and weaved the saws before landing a single punch onto his chest. Despite Acid's bitchiness, she was adequately skilled in aura. She taught Dian how to use her aura to explode someone's heart with a single punch.

Kuma collapsed, grasping his chest.

" _Dad!"_ a voice shouted from the front entrance. Dian _saw_ a teenaged boy running up the stairs. It must have been Kuma's kid. He looked no older than seventeen.

Dian was about to run off before she realized something.

Her railgun finally cooled down. She toned back the dial and switched the crystals again. The railgun emitted a soft yellow color.

The door swung open, revealing a boy that looked nearly similar to Kuma, except that he had hair. She didn't waste any time gawking at his hair and fired the blast of electrical Dust at the boy.

One blast and Chiu Verner was no more. He was nothing but a burnt corpse.

She didn't understand why Junior was so not gun-ho about killing these assholes. Fuck the consequences.

Seriously, what was the worst that could happen?

She felt like she jinx'd something.

* * *

Everyone knew the gang life would catch up to them eventually. Yet, she could never imagine the day her husband and son getting killed.

Whoever did this was going to pay?

It could have been the Predators or even someone in the Brown Ursas. She didn't suspect Hei, he wasn't stupid enough to pull off a stunt like this.

There would be time for mourning later.

Right now, things were going to get heated. Not everyone was going to recognize her as boss. There was going to be in-fighting.

She could tell that Gilbert Covenant wanted to be the boss of the Brown Ursas. Obviously, he has got a small faction of Brown Ursas loyal to him. If she had to wager, she probably has about half of the Brown Ursas's loyalty.

Right now, she had to call a meeting while she still could. Gil was probably gathering his forces. Knowing Gil, he was going to respond in force.

She had to match in force. Blood was going to flow in the streets. Then there was the matter of the other gangs.

Would Hei take them both on? Or just wait for the victor?

Then there was Novocaine Allerie to deal with. Her gang of Predators were like sharks lying in wait. It did lend some credibility to the rumors that she was a shark Faunus.

But, it was best to deal with the most obvious problem first, which was Hei.

They were in a little feud between their two gangs but Hei seemed like a reasonable man. He seemed like a live and let person.

Besides, his business was struggling and he couldn't afford an all out war. He didn't advertised the fact, but she was clever enough to figure it out.

She took out her scroll and spread the word that she was calling a meeting.

Then she took out her scroll and made several calls, trying to track down one of Hei's numbers. It took awhile and she had to exhaust every connection she had, but she finally managed to track one of his numbers down.

"Who is this?"

"Chloe Verner."

"So what do I owe the pleasure? Especially after your husband tried attacking my club?"

"My husband is dead."

"Oh. My condolences. But what does that have to do with me?"

His tone was questioning. He really didn't know that Kuma was killed.

"Isn't obvious? I just want a ceasefire. Bygones be bygones. When I deal with my insubordinates, everything would go back to a relatively normal state, isn't that we all want? I just want reassurance that you won't do anything because you seem like a man of honor."

"So long your in-fighting doesn't spill over into my territory, then we'll be golden. But if I may inquire, what about the Predators?"

"I'm sure you'll have your hands full with them."

"Fair enough."

She closed her scroll. Whoever did was going to pay. If she had to suspect someone, it was a new player, someone acting out of accordance. And the only ones who would do such a thing would be a new player in town.

Perhaps it was the person who wiped out the Fake AH crew.

She picked up _Ying Zhao Pai._

" _I swear I will avenge you."_

* * *

Acid got a text in the morning.

' _Need to discuss things. Meeting at the club.'_

"Goddamn it, Hei."

The kids weren't going to like this. After yesterday's events, they were suppose to have an off-day.

She got up and stretched before getting dressed.

"Kiddos, we gotta make another trip to the club again."

" _Ugh. Whatever,"_ the twins said annoyed.

"Come on, don't be like that."

Even Yang huffed slightly.

"Tell you what, after the club, we'll do whatever you want. We'll go shopping, watch a movie, whatever you want."

"Really?" they all asked.

"Yep. Now get ready."

Yang hobbled slightly when she was getting ready. It saddened Acid that Yang actually did _that_ just so she could help.

She _really_ needed to change the way Yang fights. The twins were pretty skilled in using their aura, now if only that could rub off on Yang.

After a couple of minutes, they set off to Hei's club. Once again, the kids were placed in the backroom. They had to arrive there early, before any of the crew saw the kids. Only Hei and his enforcers actually knew about them.

Well, Umber knew but Acid could trusted her with her own life.

Hei stood at the DJ's stand while the rest of his crew began to gather around on the dance floor, waiting to be addressed.

Acid stood next to Dian.

"Bitch-ass," Dian greeted Acid.

"Bitch," Acid greeted back.

"Ladies, if you're going to fight, at least let me get my scroll out. That stuff sells on the 'net ya know," Pink said as she settled nearby.

"Shut it, Pink," they both retorted.

"Bah! If you're not going to do it, I'm sure I could scrounge up some willing men to take your place."

"Why don't you use your whores?" Dian retorted.

"Escorts," Pink retorted. "Besides, you don't complain when you buy their services."

" _Point."_

" _Attention!"_ Hei said, silencing the room. "Now, you're probably wondering why I called this meeting."

Dian opened her mouth to say something but Acid smacked her on the shoulder.

"The Brown Ursas is currently undergoing a power struggle. Right now, it'd be best to sit and wait this out. I have gotten word that one of them is open to a ceasefire between the two of us."

Several of the crowd started shouting before Hei cleared his throat. It took several seconds before they finally settled down.

"Unless I say otherwise, do not engage, let them deal with their own business. Which brings me to the topic of the Predators."

Someone in the crowd shouted, "They've been too quiet!"

"I agree. Novocaine Allerie isn't a person to do nothing. She is always planning and scheming. So while the Brown Ursas are busy shedding blood in their streets, we will be dealing with the Predators before they could strike first."

There was a chorus of agreement while Acid's scroll chimed.

It was Umber.

"Yeah?"

" _Acid!_ Are you and the kids alright?"

"What? We're fine. We're at the club."

"What do you mean? I thought you and the kids were taking an off day again."

"No, but what is going on?"

"There was an explosion! On your floor. I'm in the elevator."

Wait… it must have been… _Felix._

"Listen! Don't do _anything._ I'm on my way."

Acid turned to Dian. "I have to go. Watch the kids."

"You're leaving me with them? Why?"

"It's an emergency and I have to go _now._ "

Acid made her way through the crowd and out the door.

* * *

Umber shut Felix's door behind her.

It was good- not great. Still, she had worse but it was nice to unwind every now and again. She considered dating again. Acid would poke fun at her again but it wasn't like Acid got any.

Speaking of Acid, it was nice to see Acid clean this long. Maybe it had to do with the kids. Acid wasn't going to do it with kids around.

She contemplated dropping by, but she was going to be on the clock soon enough.

Umber straightened out her hair and went into the elevator. She started cracking her knuckles out of boredom.

This job paid well, but sometimes she felt a little more excitement would be better.

When the doors open, she found a drunk teen raving and swinging a broken beer bottle around. Well, it looked like her prayers were answered.

" _I'm Gust! King of the world! Master of the forbidden cheese arts! Challenge me and face the consequences of my wrath!"_

He was dressed in Beacon's uniforms, which meant he had aura and a semblance. Well, this was _way_ above her pay grade. She had to approach this _really_ carefully.

"Sir, calm down and-"

" _You ain't the boss of me!"_ He charged forward but Umber ducked his drunken attempt at a stab while Umber retaliated with a solid punch to his stomach.

His aura took most of the damage, but from what Acid told her enough about aura to figure out a solution.

She went behind Gust and got him into a choke hold. Aura didn't protect from suffocation.

The man tried collapsing onto the floor, desperately trying to get out of the choke-hold. Umber didn't relent.

" _No! You can't… defeat… the cheese meister!"_ he managed to sputter out before passing out.

The rest of the security guards rushed over and helped Umber up.

"You alright?" one of them asked.

"Yeah. Take him away and call up a hunter while I ' _suit'_ up."

The rest of the guards dragged the man away while she went to one of the security rooms to put on her uniforms.

She went up to the desk to chat to the person there before several large booming sounds interrupted her. The attendant got several calls and told Umber that it came from… the floor where the kids were at.

Umber rushed to the elevator while taking out her scroll.

She had no doubt that Acid could handle herself, but she might need Umber's help with the kids.

After a brief discussion with Acid, she let out a sigh of relief that they were out of harm's way. Now, she just needed to deal with whoever was causing trouble.

Umber could probably take them whoever they were.

Then the elevator doors opened and the last thing Umber saw was fiery, amber eyes.

* * *

Acid pushed through the crowd and the cops.

" _Out of my fucking way! Umber!"_

She ran up the flight of stairs and when she finally made it, there was a pile of ash in front of the elevator.

There was a burnt and damaged scroll. She could recognized the broken, purple case. It was Umber's. _No no no no no!_

She collapsed onto her knees. "Umber."

Her hands were covered in the ashes of her dead, best friend.

"Why..."

Umber never wanted any part of violence. She never joined Hei's gang with her yet Umber stuck by her side. She wasn't part of this life! She was out of the way!

Why the hell did this happen?!

She placed her palm in the pile of ashes. This was an old technique. She didn't know why she was doing this, perhaps it was a form of closure.

Her aura pulsated through the ash. Sensing the use of Dust and aura, she pulled her hand away. She didn't know how long the aura was used on Umber. It couldn't have been seconds or hours, but everyone always assumed the worst. Most people jump to torturous conclusions. Some assumed torture and worse.

For Acid, she had to assume that Umber didn't have a dignity of a slow death. She would have assumed it was Felix but… it wasn't his M.O.

He reveled in leaving mangled bodies- not piles of ashes.

Goddamn it! Goddamn it. She wasn't part of this life.

"Acid Sparks," a stern voice broke through her silence.

There was no love in the voice. Acid knew the person behind the voice. Last time they met, she spat in her face.

" _I need to ask you some-"_ Glynda started.

Acid turned around, tears staining her face.

"Just… please… give me some time."

Surprisingly, Glynda merely nodded, with a solemn recognition. She experienced loss before, but that was a given considering she was a huntress. Glynda left her a card.

Everything was a blur after that. Acid went to an abandoned building where she used to keep her stash. Acid kicked down the door and entered the house.

Getting on her knees, she began tearing up the floorboards.

" _Where is it?!"_ she yelled.

She hated this feeling. It had to be hushed away. She finally found a tiny bag of pills and vials. This would be her only chance to bury those feelings away. It was better to use than to let these emotions control her.

The drugs dulled her bit by bit. She wasn't an unfeeling sociopath like Dian, but Acid became so jaded. Sure, she could play the role of a nice and caring person, but underneath that was a trained killer. Hell, she has gotten used to those feelings.

She could snap from the role of a caretaker to a murderer in an instance. She still retained a sense of empathy for a select few, but she could never be that hopeful kid that cherished life.

It seemed like every good moment was tainted.

She was like Yang. Except she wasn't being honest or open. The kid could be sad and be angry but it was _real._ Acid couldn't afford that luxury nor would it work with her.

Every kingdom preached individuality. What worked for Yang wouldn't work for Acid. She was certain on one thing, and that was stopping Yang from taking those painkillers. Acid wasn't a role model to strive for.

Acid prided herself on being somewhat professional. Last time she used, it was on her own time. Everything else was business. She couldn't afford to mix her ' _past-times'_ with business. Nobody needed to know that Acid might be a sobbing wreck.

This was her only escape. Everything else had to do be leafs in the wind. This guilt had to be gone with the wind.

Gulping down the pills, Acid began to lose herself. Everything became weightless and time slowed down to a still. Everything was drifting away.

 _'Get up and face the day!' her old master would say. Her master was the only one in the village who even knew about aura and semblances and Grimm._

 _She trained to fight- to protect her village. Her master was getting old. He wouldn't last much longer._

 _The day she left for Vale seemed so hopeful. After all, her brother went ahead of her and Vale seemed like a good place to live in. Even if he lived on Patch, the city of Vale held so much promise._

 _She was going to learn and apply to Beacon. The fucking moment she arrived, her boyfriend came rushing right after her._

 _Her master failed. The village was gone. It was just her first love and her. She couldn't call her brother or anyone else. Whether it was teenaged stupidity, stubbornness, or any combination of the sort, they were on their own. They could barely manage to scrape by. Her dreams of Beacon were dashed. She couldn't leave Shiro alone._

 _Then Shiro Flutter was claimed by the streets. A simple mugging gone wrong. She couldn't believe it. She had this power and yet when he needed her most, she failed him._

 _Then the grief and sorrow overtook her and it was her downfall. The details remained fuzzy, but Acid was brought into a fighting ring._

 _Beaten again and again because she kept breaking down. That was when she got her first hit. It was used as encouragement and an incentive for her to fight._

 _Those feelings of guilt resolved, all she could focus on was getting out and getting her next hit. It was relatively simple. Her whole life was boiled down to two simple directives. She murdered everyone there. They didn't know about her semblance, which allowed her to slip through her surly bonds._

 _Eventually, she met someone. Umber Ethereal. The one who sheltered her, the one who tried her best to keep her off her drugs, and the person she believed in._

 _When Acid joined Hei's little gang for cash... or for drugs, she wasn't certain, Umber didn't condemn her. She stood by Acid's side through it all. Sometimes she wished like she was Dian. For all her faults, Acid still cared deep down and that was her flaw. Dian wasn't like that, she was uncaring and laughing at the world._

 _She wished she was like Dian._

 _Because right now, the world seemed a little darker._

Acid woke up next to a sleeping body. He had a pretty face with green hair. Tattooed on his chest was a big, pink heart with stitches inside it which formed a smiling face. It was used to mark Pink's escorts.

It a way he was trapped like her. He had decisions made in his life had entrapped him into this life. Kinda like her. Kinda like the kids. Each decision driving them deeper and deeper.

In a way, they were all bound by some form of fate.

She put her hand to her head and glanced around. It looked like she rented out a motel room and one of Pink's escorts while she was on her high. She got up from the bed and put on her bra and underwear.

There had to be no regrets with this. Those feelings were gone and dealt with. Her hand began twitching before she gripped it.

She needed a smoke.

Then came the small sense of self-loathing for regressing back to _using._ Truth was… that the guilt felt better than the sorrow.

And she hated herself for that.

* * *

She stomped through the hallways.

Two burly men with masks followed behind her. Of course, their presence was merely superficial. There was no doubt in her mind that she could handle herself. Her men brought the imposing factor.

Their display of manliness was not just for show. The couple was the definition of _'macho'_. Hell, they were kinda show-offs, showcasing their strength. Some took pride in that, just like some take pride in their beauty.

Individuality was a beautiful thing.

She rubbed her shaven head. Tiny, little scars marked her head. It was a badges of honor for her. Although the huge scar right on the middle of her back.

It would always be a mark of shame for her. Even if no one knew about it, it's a source of shame for her.

Taking out her bladed tonfas, she stopped in front of the door. She gestured for her men to stay back. Beneath their masks, she could tell there was disappointment. She wore no mask, besides no one would dare accuse her.

One look into her beady, black eyes and they were immediately silenced.

Fear was almost palpable when her eyes bore into _anyone_ , including her men. Although, they respected her more than they feared her.

The Brown Ursas ran on fear and looked where that got them. Still, her enemies knew that fear. It like blood in the water.

Her target may not experience that fear, but she _would_ soon enough.

Kicking down the door, she charged at the nearly naked woman. The man in the bed had a ' _wonderful'_ high-pitched scream. Her eyes widened in surprise as she brought the first slash across the stomach, not giving her any reprieve. She spun around and kicked Acid in the face. Then she kicked Acid right in the crotch before slashing Acid in the throat. That final blow shattered her aura.

Acid was a skilled aura user, but all the skills in the world didn't matter if she couldn't use them.

Acid stumbled back, eying her belt draped on the lamp. Her belt had had her holstered guns.

She tackled Acid into the wall, before letting loose her teeth. Trade secret, she sharpened her regular teeth. It had hurt like a bitch but aura made sure that the process went smoothly.

Acid let out a scream as her teeth burrowed into Acid's flesh. "Fuck you, Novacaine!"

Then Acid transformed into a whirlwind of wind and everything was flung about in the room. When the winds finally died down, Acid's guns were gone but the escort was still there.

One of Pink's, if she had to guess. Their profession as a whole was marred in shame. She was never the one to believe in the stereotypes of women being smart, confident, and beautiful nor the stereotype of men being strong, dumb, arrogant, and handsome, but everyone had the means to fight. It was what their whole society was based on.

Still, everything was relative. Sometimes, the stereotypes had some truth and other times they were so hilariously wrong and off-centered.

It was kinda like morality in this world in a way. A whole wide spectrum. It was various shades of grey with patches of white and black scattered about. It was like their culture. Everyone was unique- different and they rarely followed set expectations.

Despite all that, what she _hated_ was the weak. Pink's escorts were supposed to be trained and strong. Yet, here was an escort quivering in her wake. Even Acid fought despite her panic. It may worked to Novocaine's advantage, it didn't negate the fact that she despised the weak.

She sheathed her tonfas and raised her hand to her men. "Send a message."

They cracked their knuckles in glee as Novocaine walked out.

She leaned back against the wall as the escort screamed out. The Brown Ursas were most likely not going to survive their little mutiny. If they did, they would be too fractured to survive a well-placed attack.

If Gil won, he was too violent and reckless to actually lead a gang. And if Chloe won, she would be too focused on reconstruction. Which was a weakness in of itself.

 _Junior's_ crew was a different story. True, they were struggling money-wise but they were a force to be reckoned with. Acid and Dian were semblance wielding enforcers. They brought the firepower to his crew.

Now, she knew Acid's semblance. Semblances were one of the pride and joys of the ' _enlightened'_. A hallmark of their uniqueness.

The couple walked out of the room, knuckles bloodied.

"Message sent?" she asked.

"Message sent," they replied.

"Alright, get out of here. And sorry for dragging you away from your little honeymoon."

"Anything for you, boss."

That's what she liked in her Predators. Respect. What she liked in her enemies, however, was _fear._

She looked through the cracked open door. A message in blood. A marked corpse hanging from the ceiling.

She shut the door.

* * *

Yang watched as Dian barged into the room, obviously pissed off.

"Who the hell does she think is?!"

"What happened?" Yang asked.

"Acid ran off, saying it's an ' _emergency'._ Fuck her! And fuck this headache!" Dian took out a bottle and gulped five of the pills.

Yang and the twins watched Dian chug down the pills.

"Oh and on top of all that, Acid's going to be pissed that I'm being a bad role model for Yang and the twins!" Dian tossed the bottle.

"Listen kiddos, do as I say not as I do. Especially you, Yang."

"Are you alright?" Miltia asked.

"I dunno. I feel like Acid right now. Stupid headache and stupid medicine." Dian slunk down on a bench.

"So what we're you playing to do today?" Dian asked boredly.

"Um..." they all started. Miltia glanced at Melanie who glanced at Yang.

Yang shot them a dirty look.

"We were suppose to go shopping and maybe see a movie."

Dian hummed before pausing. "Yeah… I think Acid would be better for that."

Melanie waved her hand as to say ' _Go on'_ to Yang.

"Maybe… _you_ can take us."

Dian started laughing. "You're asking me? You know who I am, yes?"

"Yeah, but-" Yang gestured toward her bad leg, which was getting better by the hour. "I think we deserve it."

" _Point,"_ Dian conceded. "Now, what are we shopping for?"

"Clothes among other things. We've been wearing nothing but these same old clothes for awhile."

"Ah. You're at that age. Carving your own identity. Wearing unique outfits as a brazen statement to the world. Which means… I would have to commission several outfits. Which is coming out of my pocket. Alright, but any outfits and resizing is coming out of your pocket in the future. Is that what you want?"

Both boys and girls had aspirations of being unique. Every huntsmen and huntress was uniquely styled, even certain individuals had that same sense of style. Yang used to have aspirations of being a hunter, dressed in a gaudy outfit, righting wrongs and slaying evil.

Now? She just wanted to find her mom. Her previous aspiration of being a huntress was gone. Did that make her a bad person? She did what she had to do and that couldn't be a bad thing. Besides, all the people she hurt were bad people… besides well...

Maybe once she found her mom, she could become a huntress. Then she could atone for _Ruby._

 _That thought gave her a sense of comfort._

"Yep!" they all chirped.

"Fine. Fine. But I want to see more enthusiasm in your training. Yang, I swear you're going to end up dead in a gutter so more aura training. And Miltia and Melanie? More semblance training. You better find your damn semblances."

They all nodded their heads.

"Alright. I'll bring you to a tailor I know. Then. _Maybe! Maybe_ we can watch a movie. But first things first. Wait a moment for me." Dian left the room and reentered with three pieces of paper and a pen.

"Now draw your emblems. You're familiar with the concept, yes?"

They all nodded. Dian handed Yang and the twins the paper. "This will be yours forever. No take-backsies."

Yang considered what to draw. She remembered her dad's emblem. It always looked like an outline of a burning heart to her.

So, she made it a little bit more literal and it was less of an outline than her dad's. It was her own emblem, something to define her for the rest of her days.

She had spent minutes carefully drawing it. She made a note saying it was suppose to be yellow. When she was finally done, she handed the paper to Dian. She didn't get to see Miltia and Melanie's symbols.

"Hey, where is your emblem?" Melanie asked.

Dian gave a wicked grin and took off her coat. Inside the coat was a swirl of light-indigo ovals forming a vortex, vaguely resembling a flower's petals.

"There you go scamps. Now are we going or what?"

They followed Dian to her car and they waited in the back. Eagerly, they discussed how they would design their outfits and how cool they would look in it.

"I'm going to look pretty in mine. _Pretty dangerous!"_ Melanie said.

"Like you could ever pull it off unlike me," Miltia retorted.

"Hey scamps, remember practicality! No gaudy outfits otherwise, I'm not giving you dick, got it?"

"Yes," they all mumbled.

They pulled up to a rinky little shop.

"Alright. We're here. Let's roll."

They all got out of the car and headed into the shop. The shop showcase clothes of many varieties. Some were elegant dresses, fit for a queen. Others were suits, some fancier than the ones that Hei's crew wore. Whatever the clothes were, they were made of pristine quality. Whoever made them clearly had passion in their work.

"Hey!" Dian yelled out. "It's your… fifth best customer!"

"Dian?" the tailor called out.

"That's me!"

"You still owe me for your last coat! Bullet holes are not fun to deal with."

"Fine, put it on my tab."

"This isn't a damn bar." The tailor and her assistant came into view. The tailor wore a hood with a bandana covering most of her face. Yang could only see those dull, grey eyes. They still had a certain gleam in them. The assistant was also dressed in a similar fashion, and she saw sparkling, light grey eyes. "Now, what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Commissioning some outfits for the little kiddos here. I hope you remember your policy."

"Don't lecture me on the ' _no questions asked'_ policy, considering I made it!"

"Can it Araneae," Dian spat.

"That's Ms. Weaver to you! Now-" She turned to her assistant. "Dusk, take the pair of twins and sketch up a design."

Dusk took the Malachite twins into a backroom.

"How's the apprenticeship going?"

"Don't pretend we're friends. But, matter of fact, my son is doing quite well in the business. Everything you see here? All him. Soon, everyone will be dealing with him. I only hope that he won't have to deal with your sorry ass."

" _Point."_

"Mom! Where did you put the sketchbook again?"

"Coming dear!" She went into the backroom while Dian took a seat and Yang sat next to her.

"Hey, Dian?" Yang started.

"What is it, kiddo?"

"Why are painkillers so bad?" Yang asked.

"Well, first off. I am a fucking bad influence. So, do as I say not as I do. Actually, don't listen to me at all. Except for this next bit. Second off, if you want to indulge some vices, better not be painkillers. It be better to indulge in some legal vices," Dian explained.

"Why should I indulge in… ' _vices'?"_

"Who knows. We all have our reasons. Acid does, I do. Although, you shouldn't go looking for one. The moment you do, your childhood is gone forever. Besides, I only used the painkillers because it was an emergency. Oh god, I'm starting to sound like Acid. Someone shoot me."

"I'd gladly do it. C'mon, blondie. It's time," Ms. Weaver said.

* * *

Araneae examined the girl before her as she doodled her desired outfit.

A little, blonde girl with blood-red eyes. She could see the eyes of a warrior. There was no doubt that she had aura. Aura often marked a life of war, strife, and violence.

Still, she could tell the girl was going to grow into a beauty. She had already started planning ahead. Customers were a plentiful. Her shop was valued because of discretion and quality.

Her stuff ranged from simple emblem stitching to full-on outfits, _custom made._ Hell, some even got custom made pajamas. Some, like Hei's crew, may have had a dress code with their suits but that didn't stop them from decorating them. Some stitched on their own emblems to wearing unique cufflinks.

First-time customers almost always became loyal customers. People's tastes often changed throughout the years and some may even keep the same outfit but required resizing.

Everyone from huntsmen and huntresses to criminals went through her shop. Certain people actually made their own clothes to varying degrees of success.

Even apprentices like Yang here went through the shop. There were rare occasions where huntsmen and huntress trained their kids instead of sending them to primary combat schools then getting them applied to secondary combat academies.

Funny enough, most apprentices understood practicality. Rich children often went for fancy and flashy outfits. It wasn't a problem, she still made lien either way.

Yang finally finished her sketch. It was crude, obvious made by a child but still unique in it's own way.

Araneae scanned it over. It was rather simple. A small yellow vest with a hood and simple brown shorts. Her emblem was plastered on the right side of her jacket.

It was different to say the least. Most went for more covering, as Araneae often used a certain type of silk that was hard to cut through, providing even more protection.

Hell, even the twins with their matching outfits had outlined a practical dress with ideas for protection.

Yang didn't have any of that.

"Is something wrong?" Yang asked.

"No, no. Just a bit different than what I'm used to. Most go for a little more protection. You do know that the clothing I make adds extra protection?"

"Yeah? And?"

Araneae noted that Yang walked with a slight limp. No doubt, her aura was already on it, providing a quick and speedy recovering. Araneae could only suspect what that meant.

Did Yang want to get hurt?

Araneae chided herself. _No questions asked._

"Yeah, it looks good. It's definitely good. Is there anything else you want?"

"I got a question," Yang said.

"Shoot."

"How many outfits do people go through?"

"Replacements or new outfits?"

"Both." Perhaps Yang was a thrill-seeker. Who knew? Obviously Yang had plans for the future, but had an idea of danger she might have to face.

"Well, some people go through many replacements, others don't. And for outfits? Some get a new one every month until they find their grove. Others find that ' _one'_ outfit that they stick with the rest of their lives."

Araneae flipped to a new page and started sketching. Once she was finished, she showed it to Yang.

"How do you draw so good?" Yang asked with a glint in those red-eyes.

"Years of practice."

Yang gave the sketchbook back.

"When do you think this would be done?"

"A week or so," Araneae replied.

"Thank you, Ms. Weaver."

At least these kids had manners unlike Dian.

"Please, call me Araneae. Now come on."

They both left the backroom and Dian was waiting with the twins. They looked somewhat annoyed with her.

"You promised," they exclaimed.

"Nope. I said maybe. Acid promised you."

"Dian! Pretty please!"

Dian turned to Yang, who immediately put on some puppy eyes. Then she turned to the twins who were also giving her pleading eyes.

"Fine. Only because we still got time to kill."

Dian took the kids out of the shop.

"Come on, Dusk. We got orders to fill. Start with the Adel order."

* * *

' _Come on, Spruce!' the villain said. 'You will never find your love.'_

 _'I will never give up!' Spruce shouted back. 'I've come too far to stop now!'_

 _'Then face your greatest fears!' the mustache-twirling villain ranted._

 _The mustache man flipped a switch and a menacing, shadowy bulk entered the room._

 _'You evil monster!'_

 _His dead friend turned into an evil robot machine._

 _'I'm sorry, old friend,' Spruce muttered before he took out his twin bazookas and laid down the pain to his former friend._

 _The machine got blown up, splattering oil and blood all over the place._

 _The mustache man will be next!_

 _'You think that will deter my plans?' the villain taunted._

 _He flipped another switch, revealing his love and his second best friend tied up over a vat of acid._

 _'You must choose, Spruce Willis!'_

 _Spruce fired his bazooka rockets at the mustache man before he could flip the switch._

Yang and the twins started whooping with glee.

 _Spruce saved his love and his friend._

 _Only for his love to stab his friend in the back._

 _Spruce watched with horror as his love ripped the knife out._

 _His love then dropped the knife and embraced him in a tight hug._

 _Spruce slowly gave her a hug back._

 _'The End?'_

 _The credits began to roll._

 _Ride Hard III by Spruce Willis._

Yang and the twins started screaming. ' _What? That's it!?'_

Dian started laughing with glee.

* * *

Dian brought them back to the apartments. There was some hub-bub about explosions and one of the rooms had police tape around it.

The kids had a good time with that dumb Spruce Willis movie. She tried calling Acid on her scroll several times.

"Fucking Acid," she cursed under her breath.

She couldn't even curse normally unless she wanted the kids to wake up.

Flipping through the channels was really getting boring. She heard footsteps approaching her and she immediately spun around. Red eyes greeted her in the darkness.

"Hey, Yang. What the fuck are you up so late?" she asked quietly.

Yang rubbed her eyes and muttered, "I had a nightmare."

"Come on, 'lil killer. You're tougher than that."

Yang didn't say anything. "Argh. Fine. Sit down by ' _Auntie'_ Dian and tell me all about it."

She sat down but still said nothing.

"Yang, I swear to god, you better tell me or stop wasting my time."

"It was so dark. I couldn't see anything. And I saw _her_ and I couldn't save her. Then I was completely alone," Yang said quietly.

"Kid, what is done is done. Seriously, stop moping around. You can't change the past, but you can shape the future. Seriously, you got me paraphrasing Acid right now. That's twenty push-ups in the morning."

"Diiiiiaaan," Yang moaned.

"Fine. _Five_ pushups."

"Pleeeeeeeease."

"Fine. Zero." Dian gave in.

Yang rested her head on Dian's arm. To her credit, Dian didn't flinch away.

"What do you do when you have nightmares?"

"I don't have nightmares," Dian said smugly.

"Really?"

"I don't _see_ anything in my dreams."

"So, you never dealt with any nightmares?"

"Never said anything like that. But seriously, I'm not the best person to ask this. Besides, you got friends. You could always go bother them."

Yang didn't say anything and coozed up to Dian. Dian couldn't shrug her off. She couldn't be her regular crass self otherwise Junior or Acid might have her head.

Speaking of, where the fuck was Acid? Seriously, Acid never ran off… well except when… she was…

 _Fucking bitch-ass Acid!_

She finally relapsed. Still, she lasted far longer than Dian actually expected her to. At least, Acid had the dignity to not do it in front of the kids.

Seriously, Dian thought they were going soft. Although, taking care of kids had that sort of effect on people. Most people had some sort of heart, even Dian. But Dian could never actually have that sort of life. One time she desperately longed for it, now it was a fool's dream.

Although her heart was long been buried. Hei's newly recruited kids were her crew, but Dian wouldn't have any problem dealing with any kids of a rival crew. Still, was she going soft?

Dian reassured herself that she wasn't. That massacre proved it.

"Hey, Dian?" Yang asked.

"Yeah?" The kid was playing twenty questions with her.

"How strong are you?"

"You should know the answer, but why ask?" Dian questioned her.

"I need to get better."

"No duh, but why?" Dian retorted.

"Every time I fight, it's always ' _be more careful! Yada yada!'_ " Yang slumped a little.

"You fight pretty good, 'lil killer. A little reckless 'fo sho. You need to find better ways to use your semblance. And maybe your aura."

"How?"

"Here is some blabbering Acid told me one time. ' _You gotta find your own destiny'._ It makes sense in a dumb way but what's with all the questions?"

"Do you have plans for the future?" Yang asked.

"Not really," Dian replied. She paused for a moment, pondering if she should even ask. "You?"

"I just want to find my mom. Then, I'll help Hei on my spare time, I owe him that much. But to do that..." Ah, she started thinking about the future, because of ' _Ms. Weaver'._ She had that sort of effect.

"Planning for the future is good. _As opposed to blindly stumbling about,"_ Dian muttered.

Yang yawned and closed her eyes. "Hey, Dian."

"Yeah?"

"You're not as bad as everyone says you're are," Yang muttered before she drifted off.

"Actually… I am. But… thanks."

 _Dumb kids were making her go soft._

The world was a cruel place. There was no debate to her next decision. She picked up Yang and went into the kid's bedroom.

The kid didn't need to be as fucked up as her.

The twins were sharing a bed. There was only two beds. Dian placed Yang in-between the twins. It was going to be amusing the next morning.

She heard someone fumbling with the door. Dian _saw_ it was Acid.

That bitch better be sober!

She left the room and opened the door. Acid was wearing only a bra and underwear.

"You're not high again, are you bitch-ass Ac-" Dian saw Acid holding her neck, blood seeping out.

"Goddamn it, _get in."_ Acid leaned on Dian as she brought her inside.

She set Acid onto the couch and Dian got out the medical kit.

Dian started stitching Acid's neck up. She was no doctor but it got the job done. Dian left the room again and got a set of Acid's clothes.

She tossed onto Acid.

"Get dressed, you look like one of Pink's girls."

"Sh… shut up," Acid said weakly as she started getting dressed.

"So what the fuck happened?" Dian asked.

"Novocaine."

"As in Novacaine men or..."

"Novocaine herself paid me a visit," Acid said.

"Well, shit. She's finally making her move. How did you get out?"

"Semblance." Acid began coughing.

"So, what's the plan?" Dian asked. Acid was always more smarter than Dian. More often than not, Dian was the weapon and Acid was the planner.

"We call Hei, organize a counterattack before Novacaine could do any damage."

"Brown Ursas aren't going to cause us any trouble?" Dian asked.

"They are the wild card in the equation. It all depends on who wins. It could be a three-way war if nothing goes smoothly," Acid explained.

"Well, nothing goes right. So expect the worst."

"Oh shut it," Acid said.

"Well, you never do so hot at the tables. Losing lien left and right."

"I gotta call Hei."

"So why did you run off?" Dian asked in a jeering tone.

"Didn't know you cared," Acid said sarcastically. "It was a false alarm. Nothing else."

Dian plopped down next to Acid and flipped on the holoscreen.

"At least nothing else could go wrong," Acid muttered.

"You probably jinxed it."

 _"In… other news, the huntsman, Qrow Branwen…"_ the TV started.

"Will you shut your trap for once?" Acid said in a hushed tone.

 _"Who is now offering a cash reward to anyone who can help locate his nieces, Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long."_

"Wait what?" They both turned their heads to the holoscreen.

"Well shit," Acid said.

" _Called it."_

* * *

 **Next Chapter: The Sins of the Father**


	9. The Sins of the Father

Chapter 9: The Sins of the Father

* * *

" _Higher, daddy!" Ruby shouted with glee._

 _Taiyang tossed Ruby higher in the air._

" _Me too, daddy!" Yang said as she ran up to Taiyang._

 _He caught Ruby and set her down. "Come on, daddy!"_

" _Hey, Yang wants a turn too," Taiyang said._

" _But daaad," they both begged._

" _Okay, okay. Come here, you two."_

 _He picked up both up his daughters and asked, "Are you ready?"_

" _Taiyang!"_

" _Oh darn, mommy's back. Remember shush shush. We'll do this later," he said as he set them down._

 _Ruby and Yang ran off to greet their mom with Taiyang lumbering behind them._

" _Mommy! Can we have some sweets?" Yang asked._

" _Maybe later, sweeties. Run along, now. I'll play with you later. I gotta talk to daddy, okay?"_

" _Hey, honey." Taiyang swept Summer off her feet and into his arms. "How was the mission?"_

" _It was fine. Simple extermination around the borders."_

 _Summer and Taiyang had built a life in Vale, and they usually kept their missions in Vale. Most of the time, their missions took a day or less. Their missions ranged from simple Grimm extermination, escorting supplies to nearby villages, and missing person cases._

" _Is something wrong?" Taiyang asked._

" _Nothing," Summer replied._

" _Come on, honey."_

" _It's just that… you know that mission?" Summer started._

" _Oh, the one that you canceled last minute? The one outside our comfort zone?" Summer had considered going out on a mission that they didn't normally took. Summer didn't tell him the reasoning behind it, but Taiyang supported her decision regardless._

 _Now, Summer canceled it last minute and another huntress took her place._

" _Yeah. The huntress that went in my stead? She just… disappeared."_

 _Taiyang remained silent. It was a guilty moment in their line of work where they realized their own mortality. That it could have been them that died in the line of duty._

 _Taiyang hugged Summer. Death had always hit Summer the most but what he loved about Summer was the fact that she never lost her optimism- her hope that the world could be made into a better place._

" _What if it was me?" Summer asked. The idea of leaving her family behind must have scared Summer beyond belief._

 _She couldn't bear to leave them alone. Ruby was just four years old, and Yang six years old. They were still growing. Summer wanted to be a part of their future._

" _Shhh. It's alright, honey. You're fine. We're still all here," he reassured her._

" _Thanks, Tai," she kissed him on the cheek. "You know, Qrow called and he said he was in Vale so I invited him over for dinner."_

" _Qrow?" Taiyang asked._

" _I'm sure my boys could get along," Summer replied cheekily._

" _No, it's not that, you got a call from him? What has he been doing all this time?"_

" _He wouldn't say, and if he doesn't want to tell, it's fine."_

 _Taiyang grumbled a little._

" _Oh, don't be like that Tai," Summer said._

" _Well, what mission could keep his attention for so long?"_

" _Tai, I know what you're thinking, but he does his best to keep in contact."_

" _You're right, Summer."_

 _While dinner was being made, there was a knock on the door._

 _Taiyang opened it and greeted the man before him._

" _Hello, Qrow."_

" _Hey, Tai," Qrow said._

" _Uncle Qrow!" two tiny voices exclaimed._

 _Qrow's legs were being tackled by two little kids. "Hey, you trying to sneak attack your uncle?"_

" _No! I would never attack you," Ruby said._

" _I'm just kidding, Ruby. C'mere." He picked up Ruby and seemed to contemplate something as he looked into Ruby's silver eyes._

" _Where have you been, Uncle Qrow?" Yang asked, still clinging onto his leg._

 _Qrow set down Ruby and started making his way to the couch. "Do you really wanna know? It's a long story."_

" _What are you going to regale them with stories like an old man?" Taiyang joked._

" _Don't call me old, old man."_

" _You're not old!" Ruby cried out._

" _Hehe, of course we're not. We're in our prime," Qrow said._

 _Taiyang laughed and sat down on the chair near the couch. Despite some disagreements, they were still friends._

 _Qrow set Yang and Ruby on hiss lap. "Now, there I was… tracking down some criminals in Atlas. It was snowing hard and I could barely see five feet in front of me. That didn't deter your Uncle Qrow however."_

 _Taiyang saw that Ruby and Yang were fascinated with his story. The two kids were always keen on their stories of dastardly villains and heroic huntsmen and huntresses._

" _They called themselves the Brothers Grimm. And oh boy, did they put up a fight. They were no match for your Uncle Qrow. Lucky for me, the snowstorm managed to knock them off a cliff, leaving your Uncle Qrow victorious."_

" _Uncle Qrow, can I see your weapon?" Ruby asked._

" _Well, maybe if your dad isn't going to be a stick in the mud."_

 _Taiyang crossed his arms. "I'm not a stick in a mud."_

" _Alrighty then, I'll take that as a yes."_

 _Qrow got up and took out his weapon. "Now keep back, kids. While, having eyepatches are cool but having only one eye is not cool."_

 _Ruby and Yang watched with eager fascination._

 _Qrow pressed a button and his sword transformed into a scythe._

 _Ruby started clapping her hands while Yang crossed her arms. "I like daddy's weapon better."_

" _Are you not impressed, little firecracker?" Qrow asked. "Ruby seemed pretty impressed."_

" _Again, again!" Ruby said while clapping._

" _Dinner's ready!" Summer called out._

 _They all went into the dinning room. Summer and Qrow gave each other a hug._

" _Nice to see you again, Qrow," Summer said._

" _Likewise," Qrow said before pulling her hood over her head._

" _Qrow!" Summer said with a playful tone. "Now come on, it's time to eat."_

 _Taiyang couldn't help but smile. Team STRQ was mostly back together. Even if Raven couldn't be here. He still didn't know why Raven left, but he made his peace a long time ago._

 _Thanks to Summer, he didn't break down. He had someone to support and love him and his daughter. Then, he was blessed enough to get a second daughter._

He blinked at the memory. He was such a fool.

 _A fucking fool._

He was so focused on him mulling over what he lost, that he didn't see what he had. Now, all those memories were tarnished. Hell, he saw how his kids looked at him right before they ran out.

Even if he didn't directly hurt them emotionally or physically, but he wouldn't be surprised if they forgot all about those happy memories, and hated him. It was easy to focus on the negativity than to focus on the happy memories especially for little kids.

His self-loathing cost him his daughters. He would like to blame the alcohol but he had to take responsibility for his actions.

Still, he was having one last drink. He had searched the whole island of Patch, but he found _nothing._ _Weeks!_

Maybe… he should just go away.

Some part of him felt the utter despair that he would never find his daughters again, but another part of him knew that there was a chance that his kids were still alive.

He slammed the shot glass down. He was going to find his kids or die trying. Just then, the door to the bar slammed open.

Taiyang had a sinking feeling that he knew who it was.

* * *

"Come on, Amber," Qrow said. "We're almost there."

"Could you explain this whole maiden thing to me again?"Amber asked as she trailed behind Qrow with her horse.

"The whole damn thing is complicated and I'm not explaining it for the third time," Qrow said before taking a swig from his flask.

It was empty.

Qrow tried shaking what little drops he could get from the flask into his mouth.

"Oh damn."

"What, you out of your happy water?" Amber asked.

"Yep."

"Wish we could have taken an airship," Amber muttered.

"I told you why we couldn't taken it," Qrow said.

"Low profile, I got it."

"That's the spirit. Now..." Qrow paused. "We got Grimm. Get ready."

Qrow got off his horse and unsheathed his sword. A roar echoed through the dense forest.

"Hm." Qrow pressed a button and his sword transformed into a scythe.

"Amber, get ready."

Amber leapt off her horse and with her inactive weapon. Her staff finally extended, with two Dust crystals at each end.

A large ursa emerged from the forest but Qrow leapt forward and sliced the ursa into two.

More Grimm started to surround the two. There were scores of beowolves and ursas gathering around them. Teeth drawn and claws at the ready, their desire to maul and tear them asunder was visible.

"You know, you could use your maiden powers, right?"

"Maybe if you told me how!" Amber yelled. "Is it like using a semblance?"

Qrow sped around, slicing the Grimm into tiny bits of pieces.

"I softened them up for you, now strike them down," Qrow was perched on one of the trees.

"With what? And how?" Amber asked.

Qrow sighed. "You got a whole grab-bag of powers. Fire, lightening, wind, et cetera, et cetera. Frankly, I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. Although, when you're as cool as me, it doesn't matter a whole lot."

"Don't I need Dust?" Amber asked as she struck down one of the Grimm with her staff.

"Nope. Come on, best experience is field experience. You're doing great, dear!" Qrow called out.

"Why don't I just use my semblance?" Amber asked.

"That's cheating but using your maiden powers is just like using your semblance. Semblances come from the body, but maiden powers come from nature itself. With a semblance, you could summon lightening from your own body, but with this you can summon lightening from the sky itself."

Amber jammed her staff down into a beowolf's skull and used the white Dust crystal to blow back several Grimm.

"I don't think you're trying," Qrow said as he fired several rounds into the Grimm behind Amber, dispelling them into nothingness.

"You wanna see me trying!" Amber yelled out.

Qrow gave a smile as Amber's eyes were surrounded by a fiery glow. The winds grew heavier and lightening struck down from the sky, destroying the remaining Grimm.

Amber started coughing as the fiery glow disappeared.

Qrow started clapping. "Good job. You're a fit for the Fall Maiden if I ever seen one."

"Oh, hush. That took a lot out of me." Amber straightened her back. "You should be a teacher."

Qrow broke out laughing. "I don't see that happening. Now come on."

"Give me a minute to rest."

"Well, I'm sure you could handle a little more walking. We're at the home stretch. Vale's borders are up ahead."

* * *

Amber trailed behind Qrow. They were finally in the kingdom of Vale. Getting past the borders were relatively simple once Qrow gave his huntsmen identification code.

She heard that getting into kingdoms required extensive registration especially if they were entering from the borders and not from airship or boat.

She marveled at the sight of the tower. The Beacon Tower even held the Cross Continental Transmit System.

All of it was impressive. In Mistral, she never seen such sights before. It was all swamps and villages to her.

"Let's go Amber." They entered the CCT tower and into the elevator.

"So, I'm finally meeting Ozpin?" Amber asked.

"Yep."

"What's he like?" Amber asked again.

"It would be best to save questions for Ozpin."

The elevator doors open and they found Ozpin getting yelled at by a blonde lady.

"Of course! Secret conspiracies and fairy tales. It all makes so much sense."

They both turned to Qrow and Amber.

"Hello, Glynda," Qrow greeted her.

"Oh, and you're in on it too. Of course."

"Looks like you need to work on you recruitment pitch," Qrow told Ozpin.

"So, are we all up to speed?" Ozpin asked.

Glynda grumbled a _'yes'_ , while Amber and Qrow nodded. Ozpin set down his cane by the desk and walked in front of the group.

"I'm sure you're well aware of what being a Maiden entails, Amber," Ozpin said.

"Mostly. It's… like being a huntress but in secret. But if I may ask… what about the other maidens? If we're so powerful, why aren't we all together?"

"There are four kingdoms, four Maidens. If you four were all in the same place, that would mean three kingdoms unsupervised,"

"I assume I'm the Maiden for Mistral."

"Correct, but we usually have the headmaster of each kingdom inform their respective Maidens but there are several issues with that. The headmaster for Atlas has passed away, and we haven't brought Ironwood yet. Shade's headmaster is busy. And Haven's headmaster… that is a complicated matter. So, for the time being, I have to teach and inform the Maidens of their roles," Ozpin explained.

"The other headmasters are in on this?" Glynda sighed and said, "Of course. How do you even deal with this, Qrow?"

She turned to Qrow who was drinking from his flask again. She just closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You know, any other day I would assume this might be an elaborate hoax, but given how serious you all are, I guess I will have to roll with the punches."

Glydna took a deep breath. Amber admired on how calm Glynda seemed to be.

"Welcome to the club," Qrow said.

"Now, Glynda, are you sure you're ready? It's a full-time job. Not just being a teacher here, but this is a full-time commitment, are you ready?"

"No, but I occasionally do some sub work for some of the teachers. What about you? I suspect you aren't either. You just went from deputy headmaster to headmaster."

Qrow chuckled. "Oz fancies himself a ' _chess master'_ of sorts. Making moves from the background, blah blah. Hell, he even has us use chess terms as code. Going a tad overboard there, Oz."

"I have my reasons," Ozpin defended.

"So, he has been managing the school from the shadows. Let me guess, there was no _'real'_ headmaster while he was deputy headmaster. No wonder why the students went to you than the headmaster. But why bother becoming headmaster in the first place?"

"There was only so much I could do as deputy headmaster."

Glynda huffed slightly.

"Isn't being part of a shadowy, conspiracy group fun?" Qrow asked.

Amber kept quiet. This seemed so complicated, and it wasn't her business. She was just here to get training so she could go back home to Mistral.

"Well, I guess I gotta pass my case onto another hunter," Glynda muttered.

"What case?" Qrow asked.

"Does it matter?" Glynda asked.

Qrow shrugged. "Now, I'm going to surprise my nieces. Do you have things covered, Oz?"

"Glynda and Amber, can you wait in the lobby? I need to talk to Qrow."

Glynda took out her scroll and began dialing a number as the two of them went into the elevator, leaving Qrow and Ozpin were alone.

* * *

"Crimson Neverbloom?" the voice from the scroll called out. She smacked the final bandit down and answered her scroll.

"Oh, Glydna Goodwitch! Haven't heard from you since we worked that missing child case together."

"Yeah, it's been a while. Listen, long story short, I got a job at Beacon-"

"Oh, congratulations! Remember when we were students… god, we are getting old," Crimson said.

"Yeah, but I gotta transfer this current case-" Glynda started.

"And naturally, I was your first choice."

"Uh..."

"Second choice?" Crimson asked.

More silence.

"I was your fourth choice… wasn't I?" Crimson asked again.

"No offense?" Glynda offered.

"No, no. It's fine. What's the case?"

"A pair of murders. I'm sending what I got to your scroll."

Crimson's scroll pinged. "Who are the murderees?"

"One Umber Ethereal and one Felix."

"Wait. _Felix?"_ Crimson asked. "He was killed?"

"Yep."

"Him and his partners were one of the best students in our year until he ' _dropped out'._ Still can't believe that scraggly blonde turned himself into a professional killer. He was such a klutz during his tenure at Beacon. Wonder who could have offed him?"

Crimson put the scroll on speaker phone and started going through Glynda's notes.

"Presumed fire Dust user, experienced, tracked down Felix to kill him. Aura sensing gave some indication of torture, unknown how long it was drawn out. Willingness to kill civilians. Quite a case you're giving me," Crimson summed up.

"Sure you can handle it?" Glynda asked.

"Do you even have to ask?"

"Well, thank you for taking the case for me."

"No problemo. I'll let you know how this turns out," Crimson said.

"Thank you, Crimson."

Crimson shut the scroll and walked around the ruins of the bandit hideout. Her whip was hanging on her belt.

Fire Dust users. _Fire Dust users_.

Dust users were often specialized in their skills, not to say they couldn't use other Dust. Anyone with aura could use Dust effectively, being able to pull of spectacular tricks with them. Some were a jack-of-all-trades with all types of Dust. Others, were skilled with a certain type of Dust.

Then there was the very, _very_ slim possibility that someone used processed Dust, but that required a large amount to achieve the same effect.

Non-awakened had to use processed Dust. It was slightly less effective than unprocessed Dust, but it was more limited in it's uses. All types of unprocessed Dust could be used with semblances given enough skill. Processed Dust took less effort to wield, and less likely to overheat or destroy the weapon in the process unlike unprocessed Dust.

Unprocessed Dust was stronger but more unwieldy and could be used in any number of ways. Combining into their bodies, sewing into clothes, forming into Dust weapons, and more.

She started to ponder on the possible identities of the murderer. She knew several fire Dust users throughout her career.

Could it have been them? Or was it someone completely new?

It was best not to rule out any possibilities.

Perhaps it was even her own partner.

 _Gasp!_ It wasn't like they have been married for several years. Maybe he was faking his naive outlook on life, it wasn't like he was one of the few people that actually kept the outfit he designed as a kid. Unlike emblems which remained unchanging, outfits could be changed. So who did that except the very pure?

Crimson chuckled before seriously started going through some suspects.

There was Pyre Suttee, but he disappeared several months before. Most of the time, disappearing meant certain death.

Flare Melange? The former bandit was doing her time in prison. Hell, she was even showing a genuine effort at rehabilitation.

Tinder Farrago? She was pretty sure she broke his back the last time they met. He might not even walk again. Aura could heal a lot but broken backs? That was a stretch.

Those were the few fire Dust using criminals she could think off.

Okay, now she had to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

She took a deep breath to calm her mind. Huntsmen and huntresses were expected to keep a calm state of mind.

A frustrated hunter was a reckless hunter. A reckless hunter was a dead hunter. The bandits may have been defeated but a wandering Grimm could come and catch her off guard.

Hmm. She had met a few fire Dust trainees during her journeys to other kingdoms. They were often in villages often outside the kingdoms, but they could have easily entered into another kingdom.

Some were training for protecting their villages, others for more insidious purposes. Combat academy enrollment applied inside the kingdom whereas villages did not.

Fumar Wither? Nah. He was a good kid. Brave and fiercely loyal to his little village.

She thought harder.

Years back, there was a budding fire Dust user that she traveled with for a couple of weeks. They were both seeking the same person, a fire Dust expert. Due to the nature of her mission, Crimson couldn't tell the girl that she was a huntress.

Crimson was almost certain that if the girl knew that, she would see it as a betrayal of trust. The girl was driven, skilled but combative… almost bordering on cruel.

It was a long trek and they were forced to travel together. The girl was young, brash, and angry.

A tad manipulative now that she thought about it. Every action she did had some undercurrent of rage beneath it. Hell, even when she ' _flirted'_ with someone for information, it was controlling and aggressive.

Still, she was an ambitious girl but she wasn't all that bad when she lighted up… which happened as often as a blue moon. The girl didn't trust anyone to open up too. Crimson hoped that one day maybe the girl could find someone to confide in.

Although, Crimson suspected that the girl would only open up to someone that she could _love_ and clearly the girl was paranoid and untrusting as a kooky old bat. Still she could remember that one moment when the girl wasn't so mean. It was when Crimson gave up the last of her rations for her.

The girl actually smiled… then there was nothing.

Yet, Crimson could tell that the girl preferred to repress everything. But people could change or... maybe she was faking everything. Crimson had absolutely no idea if the girl was behind the killings. It did seem like a long shot.

What was the girl's name again?

Crimson took out her journal, she flipped through the pages. Some hunters kept journals, often coded, to keep track of their adventures and certain classified things. Crimson liked to keep doodles of her adventures. She didn't need code, she just needed pictures to refresh her memories on key events.

 _Ah._

Mistral.

She had a small sketch of the girl when she sleeping. It was one of the few times the girl didn't have a mean look or a smirk on her face. It was even made even rarer because the girl often tossed and turned in her sleep.

She looked at the doodle. She made sure to get all the details to savor this rare moment. The sketch contained a look of peace on the girl's face.

Underneath the picture was the girl's name.

 _Cinder Fall._

* * *

"What is it, Oz?" Qrow asked.

"I don't know how to tell you this Qrow," Ozpin said slowly.

"Just spit it out."

"A lot of has happened in the months during your mission to find the Fall Maiden..." Ozpin started.

"Summer..." Ozpin couldn't quite finish the sentence.

" _What about Summer?"_ Qrow asked.

"She… passed away on a mission." Ozpin's voice was quiet.

Qrow turned away. He ran his hands through hair and his breathing was quiet. He inhaled and exhaled, his breath barely audible.

He wiped something away from his eyes.

"I have to..." Qrow's voice quivered, he exhaled more loudly this time.

"How are my nieces holding up?" Qrow voice cracked.

Ozpin remained silent.

" _What. Happened?"_ Qrow asked.

"There have been reports that Taiyang… he may have lost your nieces and is trying to find them."

" _He what?!"_ Qrow shouted. It was easier to latch onto that one point of anger. It was better than breaking down, right?

Qrow clinched his fists and brought them to his head.

He wanted to yell at Ozpin for not telling him sooner, but he knew better. Business first, personal stuff second. Especially if the business stuff included saving the world.

"I have to go," Qrow said as he gritted his teeth. Ozpin said nothing but merely nodded his head.

Chew Taiyang out, find the kids.

A simple plan.

This… would be a distraction. At the back of his mind, he protested that Summer _couldn't_ be dead. She was a skilled huntress- a loving mother- a loyal friend.

He couldn't break down now.

Qrow went to one of the windows and shattered it with his fist. In the corner of his eye, Ozpin raised his arm to protest before putting it down.

He dove out the window and transformed into a crow.

Making his way to Patch, he started to reminiscence about the past.

" _When did you take up drinking?" Summer asked with a hint of disappointment._

" _Oh, don't be like that Summer," Qrow protested._

" _Then why?" Taiyang added in._

 _Qrow screwed the cap back on his flask. "It's just the missions I've been on."_

" _Then you should settle down. Or slow down," Summer said quietly._

" _Summer. Come on, don't be like that. I'm fine. I can hold my liquor unlike lightweight over there," Qrow joked._

" _Hey, I resent that," Taiyang said._

" _More like resemble," Qrow muttered._

" _Boys. Boys. No need to fight," Summer said before taking a deep sigh. "Qrow is an adult capable of making his own decisions. I just ask you that you don't do it in front of the kids."_

" _Perish the thought. I know how influential little kids are," Qrow said._

" _Thanks Qrow."_

" _Now, I best be going. Duty calls," Qrow said before making his way toward the door._

" _Qrow wait," Taiyang said and grabbed Qrow's shoulder._

" _Yeah, Tai?"_

" _This… it was nice. We should do this more often."_

 _Qrow smiled._

There was nobody in the house which greatly worriedQrow. Upon further investigation, he found scores of empty bottles.

An onslaught of worries and fears hit Qrow. Taiyang wasn't normally a drinker. Qrow knew that he would never intentionally hurt his kids.

Hell, Taiyang would rather face fifty nevermores than lay a hand on his kids. That still didn't dispel his fears. Something must have happened. Taiyang was always the self-loathing type, and perhaps he might have neglected them.

Being a single parent was an enormous strain and Qrow knew Taiyang's track record. He needed someone to set him straight because he seemed incapable of doing that on his own.

He was a wonderful father but… Qrow had no idea how Taiyang reacted to Summer's death. He lost Raven and now Summer?

Asking around Patch yielded something bad. Arnica Sparks was a parent of one of Yang's schoolmates. According to him, Yang was hostile and fighting all the time. She even fought Arnica's kid, Basuco.

Asking more and more parents revealed the same results. True, the kids were being little shits to his nieces but they mentioned that Ruby wouldn't stop crying. Bad home life? He got the impression that Yang did her best to keep things together, and perhaps fighting was an outlet.

Something must have happened after school ended. Everything must have had come crashing down after Yang lost her outlet. Taiyang should have supported his kids but...

 _Something horrible must have happened._

His heart wrenched.

His fears were becoming more and more real. He managed to find out where Taiyang was. He was drinking. Was he drinking his sorrows away? Or the guilt? Whatever the case, it didn't matter.

He was going to do more than chew out Taiyang.

* * *

"Official huntsman business! Out! _Scram!_ " Qrow yelled into the bar. Everyone fled the bar except Taiyang.

"Hey, Qrow," Taiyang said before saying.

"Where are the kids, _Tai?"_ Qrow spat.

Taiyang gave a small, hollow chuckle before wiping away his tears. "I searched the island twenty times. And I haven't found anything. No bodies, no trace of them."

Taiyang got up from the stool and faced Qrow.

It was one of the few times that Taiyang has actually seen Qrow angry. In fact, he looked downright murderous.

Qrow stuck his sword into the ground.

" _What did you do to them? What happened?"_ Qrow asked.

Taiyang said nothing, as he felt the guilt piled upon him. Only then did he realized what a neglectful father he had been.

He had been so wrapped up in his pain- his grief that he didn't see that his kids were affected too.

Qrow growing angry at Taiyang's lack of response, charged at him. In a blink of an eye, he slammed Taiyang's face into the bar before throwing him to the floor. Taiyang didn't bother fighting back, this was only a _sliver_ of the penance he deserved.

" _Did you hurt them?!"_ Qrow yelled. " _Did scream at them?! Did you abuse them?! Did you beat them?! What the fuck did you do?!"_

Taiyang managed to get up. "I'm a horrible father. Too wrapped in my self-loathing to give a damn."

Qrow's fist began shaking before smacking Taiyang.

"You think that's what Summer would have wanted?!" Qrow picked up Taiyang by his collar and threw him over the counter. Taiyang smashed into the bottles into the back, and he was showered in broken bottles.

"So what the hell did you do?" Qrow yelled before picking up a chair and throwing it at Taiyang. He stumbled back into the wall as the chair broke in several pieces.

"Nothing. I did nothing for them," Taiyang muttered. Qrow grabbed Taiyang and threw him into his embedded sword. Taiyang's aura shattered as he slammed into it.

Taiyang didn't bother getting up. "They… took my self-loathing to heart. All my drunken ramblings and self-pity. I should have known better. They must think- _know_ that I'm a horrible father."

He struggled to get up and when he did, he picked up Qrow's sword and held it out to him.

"If you really think that I deserve it-" Both of their eyes gazed upon his sword. "Then do it."

He shoved the sword into Qrow's hands.

Taiyang got onto his knee and bowed his head, waiting for Qrow's decision. There was a brief moment of hesitation.

"Get up," Qrow said before putting away his sword.

Taiyang got up and opened his mouth to say something before Qrow held up his hand.

"I don't know if I'll ever forgive you. But Ruby and Yang lost... their mom, and I don't what them to lose their dad either. We're going to find them… then we'll figure out something from there. You're not a horrible person, but I don't know if you should have custody of the kids… but we'll cross that road when we get there."

Taiyang opened his mouth again.

"Don't thank me yet. But we're going to find them."

Qrow said with such conviction, that Taiyang believed him.

And he felt something he hasn't felt in a long while.

 _Hope._

* * *

"Hey Summer. It's been a long while hasn't it?" Qrow tried chuckling but he couldn't.

"I'm sorry for not being there, Summer. You know how it is. Important missions to save the world."

Qrow placed a bouquet of roses at the gravestone.

"Are you okay with me giving roses?" Qrow asked. "I'm sure you would have loved them."

Qrow opened his mouth to say something but he paused for a moment before finally saying what he wanted to say.

"I'd know what you say right now. That I shouldn't worry as much or that I need my rest. You would even tell me everything will work out. And I'd believe you. I do believe you."

Qrow ran his hands through his hair, obviously stressed out.

"You'll even say that I should forgive Taiyang. And..." Qrow's eyes got watery and he took a gulp. "I'd even be inclined to do so. But I don't think I could until I… _we_ find them."

Qrow looked off into the distance. "I don't think the kids are on Patch. Hel… heck… I even double-checked. But no… bodies either. That's gotta mean something. I have a gut feeling that they are still out there."

He clinched his fists. " _I should have been there!"_

Qrow took a deep breath.

"Even if I couldn't have… saved you. If I was here, maybe I would have prevented all of this. You know how Tai is. Remember when my sister just left him with Yang? He was struggling before you came."

Qrow paused. "No, I'm not implying anything about Tai. _Perish…_ perish the thought. Tai is good man… and a good father, even after all his mistakes. It's just that... the man needs his friends to help him. If I was here… none of this would have happened. And I'm sorry for fighting Tai. Just reassured that we will find them."

Qrow knelt down on his knee as a sign of respect.

"I..." Qrow gulped down what he was about to say. But he got up and left the cliff in silence to rejoin the search.

Qrow and Taiyang were getting desperate. They couldn't search the entirety of Vale. Even when they were united in the cause of finding Yang and Ruby, they still had nothing.

It got to the point where he had to offer a reward to help find them. It was slightly humiliating to ask for help. They were huntsmen and they couldn't find them.

Qrow had to deal with some arrogant news anchor named Cyril Ian in order to send his message across.

Still nothing.

Taiyang and Qrow were searching Vale in quadrants, yet it almost seemed hopeless. But despite that, they wouldn't stop- _couldn't stop._

Qrow was just combing through the agricultural district when he heard a familiar sound. He turned around and saw Raven, his sister.

"Qrow," she said with her voice devoid of feeling.

" _Raven,"_ he said with his voice on edge. He didn't know what to think or feel. It has been awhile since he actually seen Raven. They did occasionally send messages to one another.

There was an awkward silence between the two siblings before Qrow finally spoke up.

"So, what is it Raven? What is important enough to warrant your ' _royal'_ presence?"

"It's about your nieces."

" _Our_ niece and _your_ daughter, _"_ Qrow tried correcting her.

" _Your_ nieces are alive."

Qrow felt a surge of hope course through him.

"Where are they?" Qrow asked with renewed vigor.

Raven remained silent.

"You do know where they are, _right?"_

"I don't know where Ruby is exactly, but she is safe. Some stranger saved her."

Qrow realized what Raven was saying.

" _So you were there?"_ Qrow accused.

"They're fine, are they not? Ruby ran off with the stranger. You have to ask yourself did they want to go back?"

"You could have saved them!" Qrow nearly shouted.

"Did they want to be saved? If-"

"I swear if you go on some tripe about fate and destiny…" Qrow sighed. "Then where is Yang?"

Raven said nothing.

" _Tell me, Raven or so help me-"_

"I like her where she is. It will help mold her into something greater."

"She is your daughter!"

"And blood isn't always thicker than water," Raven retorted.

"What… that doesn't even make any sense."

"Yes it does," Raven interrupted.

" _Just tell me where Yang is._ For my sake? _"_

Raven tilted her head side to side, thinking what to say.

"She's with one of the three gangs. You should consider that maybe they're better than Taiyang. They aren't in any immediate danger, Qrow."

"How could you say that? He's still a good man." Even after all that Taiyang did… didn't do, he still wanted to make amends unlike Raven. Taiyang cared enough to try and save his kids. Sometimes, he wondered about Raven. She changed so much over the years.

"Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But he isn't the man I fell in love with."

"Is that really why you left?" Qrow asked.

"A small factor. Speaking of which… I have to go. Until we meet again, brother."

Raven pulled out a white mask with red eyes and put it on.

"Nice fashion sense," Qrow said.

Raven said nothing and hopped off the roof they were on.

Qrow didn't hear her feet hitting the ground.

But that didn't matter, he had a lead. He regrouped with Taiyang to inform him of what had transpired. Qrow had to omit certain parts of his story.

Taiyang was both of overjoyed and horrified at the news. They finally had something to work off.

"Alright, how do we approach this?" Taiyang said while pacing. He smashed his fist into the palm of his hand. "Divide and conquer."

"Right. This is our chance to find Yang. Once we find Yang, we could work from there and find Ruby."

"You know, I gotta thank that contact of yours."

Qrow took a swig from his flask, avoiding the question. Qrow needed Taiyang's head screwed on right. Him thinking about Raven wasn't going to help anyone. Luckily, Taiyang decided not to push it.

"So what gang do you wanna investigate?" Qrow asked. "There's Hei's crew, the Predators, and the Brown Ursas."

"I'll investigate the Predators," Taiyang decided.

"Then, I'll do the Brown Ursas. If we don't find anything, we report back and investigate Hei together. Sound good?"

Taiyang nodded. He went to jump off the roof before Qrow stopped him.

"Where's your weapon Tai?" Qrow asked.

"It needed repairs, so I left it back on Patch. Why you worried?"

The mood between the two had lightened significantly. They both believed that they were on the cusp of finding Yang and Ruby.

"Please, you're a grown man."

Taiyang then leapt off the roof and into the streets. Qrow looked over the intel on his scroll. The Brown Ursas had fractured significantly and there was violence in the streets.

Thankfully, they managed to keep the violence relatively contained in less populated areas. However this meant more work for him. Basically, there was two groups he had to investigate. But he could deal with it.

He flew off into the night sky.

* * *

Chloe considered herself a patient woman.

She had to be. Her… late husband and son were brash and reckless. Hell, the whole gang was reckless. It allowed sociopaths like Red Ripper to thrive. In truth, she was glad he was gone.

Gangs always had attracted the violent and the dangerous. Her husband wasn't an idiot, but he had let the gang fester a bit too much. The Brown Ursas had the reputation of being the most violent gang out there. It wasn't his fault. Family time did take precedence over gang time.

Still, he had respect. When he needed to be eloquent with his words, he was one of the greatest. Oh, the things he whispered in her ear.

She chuckled sadly.

No time for mourning. He had gone down swinging. That's how the story ended for most of them. But she wanted- hoped- _pleaded_ that her son wouldn't have to suffer that fate.

It was a horrible fear that she had ever since she was blessed enough to give birth to her precious joy in the world. Kuma assured her that he would always be there to protect their son.

But of course, their son wanted to be in this life. He was only sixteen! He didn't stand a chance! It wasn't fair! Kuma was going to unlock his aura at his seventeenth birthday and start training him.

It wasn't the best way to train but there was some stories of success.

The future seemed bright, their paths clear. But it all came crashing down. Just like the guards in her house. She could tell that they were getting their asses handed to them. Tying back her turquoise hair in a pony tail, she readied herself for a fight.

She cocked and loaded her husband's weapons. Usually taking someone else's personal weapon was a sign of tremendous disrespect and almost considered taboo. Only a close friend, family member, or lover could take their weapons as their own.

Turning around with the guns drawn, she faced a man with a giant sword in hand and a tattered red cloak.

"Who are you? Freelancer? Drop-out?"

The man gave a dark chuckle. " _Huntsman."_

Chloe holstered her guns. It was futile to fight against a trained hunter. He looked rugged but dangerous.

She should have expected this. The authorities were going to crack down on them eventually. If the status quo was broken, then the repercussions were high.

"So what do you want?" Chloe asked.

"Just wanted to ask three questions."

"All of this for three questions?"

"Have you seen the news lately?" the huntsman asked.

Chloe thought about it for a moment before snapping her fingers. "You're that huntsman, Qrow. You're looking for your missing nieces."

The man nodded.

Ah. Chloe understood now. A child was precious. She felt sympathy for the man.

"Second question, have you _taken_ them?" Qrow asked, his voice hard. He probably searched all the conceivable places and just wanted confirmation from her.

"Why would have I taken them? Who the hell brings kids into this? We all know what happens to people who even remotely lay a finger on a kid."

 _People_ like Red Ripper. Personally after Kuma heard the rumors, the man was going to be castrated and his limbs chopped off. He was lucky enough to get killed before Kuma enacted retribution on the man.

Gangs had a sense of honor, no matter how twisted.

Hell, even Gilbert for all his arrogance and hubris knew better to hurt a kid.

"If you had to suspect a gang that would take my niece, who would you think it might be?" Qrow asked his final question.

"Gil Covenant," she responded.

"You trying to get me to thin out his little group. You ain't that clever sweetheart, but you're lucky I was on my way there anyway. It's been a blast."

The man left her home.

Maybe if she was lucky, Gilbert would be taken care of.

Pfft. As if.

* * *

Gilbert considered himself a man of action. Gilbert considered himself very good at what he does. After all, he made in this far in the gang. He survived many skirmishes with the law.

So when he charged at the intruder with his weapons, he wasn't expecting the man to move faster than a blink of an eye. He was clearly trained well… a bit too well.

It almost seemed like the man wasn't even trying. With one slash, Gilbert was disarmed.

That's when he knew to concede. Especially when his nailguns were on the floor, and he was pinned to the wall.

"So, what do you want?" Gil asked.

It was just a matter of time he supposed.

The kingdom of Vale rarely had more than a handful of huntsmen and huntresses. Most of their duties were outside the kingdom.

The ones that were in Vale were usually either on break or on assignment.

"Just want some information," the man said.

"Do you now?" he replied.

The man went through the usual spiel of interrogation. Turned out that Qrow was searching for his nieces. Gil didn't know where he got the idea that a gang would take in, but he didn't care. The huntsman seemed agitated that Gil had nothing to yield.

When the huntsman dropped him, Gil questioned everything. The choices and paths that he took in his life that ultimately led to this moment. He had shed blood and tears to make it this far. He had lost good friends like Red, kissed Kuma's ass, and did any number of immoral things. Yet, all of that seemed meaningless.

What got to him was the insignificance of everything.

A lone huntsman could take on the lot of them and _win._ The only reason why they didn't and left them to the cops was because they had bigger and better things to do. The gangs as a whole thought they were tough, but when in reality, only a handful could actually remotely stand a chance.

Gil, even if he could win this power struggle, would still have nothing. He would be nothing, just another gang leader in a long line of gang leaders. Before all of this, he strived to be the best. Rising through the Brown Ursa ranks, he made sure that he stayed in the good graces of Kuma.

When all the other lieutenants fell, he remained. Survival didn't mean anything to him… not anymore. Surviving wasn't living.

He picked up the nailguns off the floor. Weapons were only as dangerous as the wielder. The nailguns had two small rows of refined and processed Dust crystals, serving both as spiked brass knuckles and a way to fire the Dust crystals.

They were _his_ weapons and they had served him well, but right now he felt helpless even when he held them in his hands. He had to change that.

Gilbert Covenant was going to cement his legacy into this kingdom.

Even if he had to burn it all down on the ground.

* * *

" _Called it,"_ Dian's voice woke up Yang.

She groggily rubbed her eyes and turned to find that she was in the twin's bed. After a brief note of embarrassment, she made her way to the door.

"Fine, fine. But things couldn't possibly get worse," Acid's muffled voice said.

"And you jinxed it again," Dian paused for a second before continuing, "You weren't followed, were you?"

"Oh, shit."

" _Shit!"_ Dian's voice yelled out.

A loud explosion rang in Yang's ears and she stumbled a little bit.

"Wha..." one of the twins muttered.

Yang turned around and put a finger to her lips.

"Go hide!" Yang said in a hushed tone while pointing to the closet.

Melanie tried voicing her disagreement but Yang just glared at her. She was going to protect them, because she was the only one with the means to.

Melanie dragged her sister into the closet, shooting daggers at Yang along the way. It was for the best. Yang was the strongest out of three.

Besides, if all attention was on her, they would be safe.

Once they were safely tucked away, Yang cracked open the door and saw a shattered window, with a lady in a duster coat and a shaven head holding Dian by the throat. Acid was nowhere to be seen.

"You bitch!"

"Tsk tsk. Dian, Dian, Dian. You should have saw this coming. When you regroup with Acid, I'll be waiting."

The lady threw Dian out the window and Yang screamed.

Yang did the only thing she could do and that was charge at the lady. The lady had an amused grin on her face and caught Yang's fist in her hand.

"How about you just give up?" the lady taunted.

Yang tried throwing another punch, but again… the lady caught it.

The lady tilted her head and gave a smug smile, exposing sharpened teeth. All Yang could feel was the creeping sense of panic and powerlessness. Yang was better than this! Wasn't she?

The lady lifted up Yang and all she could see was beady, black eyes.

"And who are you?" the lady asked.

Yang tried spitting in her face, but she dodged the glop of spit.

"Nice try, but if you won't tell me, then you are going to be my leverage. How would you like being a damsel in distress?" the lady mocked.

"Although, you got spark. I'll give you that, kid. But… _I'm better."_

She whistled. Then two men came out and threw a sack over her head.

Yang tried screaming, to no avail. She tried kicking and punching but to no effect. Being dragged away only reminded her that despite everything she had learned… she was still a kid. Everything up to that point, almost meaningless. But… she rejected that notion. It would lead her nowhere because she still hoped.

She hoped that her friends were safe.

She hoped that Acid and Dian were alright.

And she wished that someone would save her- both from this lady and this feeling of powerlessness.

* * *

Taiyang observed the warehouse down below. He was about to jump down, until he saw a van pull up. He decided to wait and see what was going on.

A group of thugs dragged out a little kid with a sack over her face and brought her into the warehouse. Taiyang hoped that it was Yang.

Even if the girl wasn't Yang, he still had a duty- both morally and as a huntsman, to save the kid. Dropping down, he snuck up and took cover. He heard the van drive off.

Eavesdropping, he heard several of the thugs talking.

"Don't know why Novocaine wants this kid."

"Does it really matter? You don't question the boss."

"You really aren't curious? First it was sending a message, next it's a trap."

"Look you're new, but don't question the boss. Just trust in her."

Taiyang heard enough and quickly emerged from behind the car. He quickly surveyed the thugs guarding the entrance. Two of them were standing side by side. They were wearing what looked like grey army fatigues.

Faster than a blink of an eye, he was in-between the two of them. He smacked one of them down to the floor and roundhouse kicked the other man to the floor.

The men had two short-swords on them. They were just plain weapons but Taiyang could make do with them.

Channeling his aura into them, he made sure it significantly dulled the edge of the blade. Just as one could channel their aura for more powerful attacks, they could make sure their attacks were non-lethal.

As soon as he stepped into the warehouse, he was bombarded with blinding lights and exploding yellow Dust crystals.

His aura immediately tanked and to prevent himself from being attacked further, he jumped into the air, and charged one of the short-swords with his aura.

The sword spun into one of the spotlights and into another before finally knocking out one of the thugs. As the sword clattered on the ground, Taiyang took note. Five thugs, three of which had short-swords and the rest of them had pistols.

The moment Taiyang landed, he charged into the thugs with the pistols. One of shot at Taiyang's head but he merely tilted his head, avoiding the shot.

Slashing across the gut, the thug flew into the wall. Turning around, he saw the other armed thug aiming his pistol at Taiyang.

Taiyang quickly smashed the man into the wall with his shoulder, knocking the man out.

The other three thugs charged at him, but Taiyang dodged the first swing and grabbed the man's arm. Taiyang broke the man's arm, forcing him to drop the sword into Taiyang's hands.

One of the other thugs tried tackling Taiyang but he sidestepped and kicked the man in the ass, launching him into one of the warehouse walls.

The final man turned to run, but Taiyang knocked him out by throwing the sword at him. The handle smacked the back of the thug's head, skidding the man across the floor.

He spun around, checking that everyone was still down.

There was a lone door at the end of the warehouse. Taiyang quickly rushed over to the door and found Yang tied up.

She had a defeated look in her… _red_ eyes. He briefly bore into those red eyes.

" _Hey, Tai," Raven whispered into Taiyang's ear as she walked past him. Her hand traced over Taiyang's shoulder._

 _She took her place next to Summer who was giving a speech about strategy._

" _So Tai and Raven flank from the back-"_

 _Summer's voice faded into the background as Taiyang looked into Raven's red eyes. Those beautiful red eyes._

" _-and then me and Qrow will establish a baseline-"_

 _Eyes that gazed into his eyes as well._

 _Taiyang swore he would never forget those eyes. Eyes as beautiful as a red rose._

"Yang?" he said, his voice cracked.

"Dad?" Yang's voice was disbelieving and felt like it was full of guilt.

"I'm here, sweetie."

Taiyang rushed over and untied Yang. She stumbled back and backed away from Taiyang.

His heart was crushed… but maybe it was for the best.

"Look… Yang. I know..." His voice cracked and his eyes began to water. "I know… I'm a horrible father… but let me save you this once. And then… you won't ever have to see me again."

Yang had a confused and sad look her face. "Don't… don't you hate me?"

"Yang… I knew I'm a bad father, but I could never hate you. Why would I ever hate you?" Taiyang asked, with a heavy heart.

"Because… I… I..." Yang tried finishing her sentence, but couldn't.

"Yang… whatever it is… I won't hate you for it. I love you too much for that."

" _I KILLED RUBY!"_ Yang broke down and started crying. "I killed her! I'm no big sister!"

Taiyang rushed over to Yang and embraced her.

" _Yang,"_ Taiyang said quietly and his voice was solemn. " _Ruby is alive."_

"Wha..." Yang said in disbelief. "Ruby… is alive?"

" _Yes.._ Ruby is alive… and you're not a horrible sister! _She's alive!_ "

Yang looked into his eyes… and Taiyang bore into those familiar red eyes. Yang started crying… both out of a combination of happiness and sorrow.

For the first time in a long while, Yang hugged Taiyang. There was a nice silence between father and daughter.

"Where's Ruby?" Yang finally asked between the sobs.

"We'll find her together. And then you won't ever have to see me again."

"Why?" Yang asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm a horr-"

Yang coughed awkwardly before gaining a resolve. "En.. enough whining. What… what is done is done. What matters is that we're together again."

Taiyang gave a small smile through the tears.

"I don't suppose… you could ever forgive me?"

Yang hugged him tighter. "Of course. I couldn't hate you. But let's find Ruby."

Taiyang picked up Yang in his arms.

"We're going to find Ruby and then..."

"We could be a family together again," Yang said optimistically.

Taiyang let himself smile. This was the first strike at reclaiming normalcy. He wanted nothing more than his daughters to be together again. He wanted his daughters to be a family again, but he didn't know if he had a place in that family.

He learned his lesson. His suffering didn't matter, but _their_ suffering took priority over his. Every parent knew that, but when faced with that dilemma, he faltered. But no longer. His daughters came first.

Taking out his scroll, he started dialing a number as he walked in the darkened streets.

"Who are you calling?" Yang asked.

"I'm calling Qrow," Taiyang replied.

"Uncle Qrow?" Yang replied, almost happily.

"Yeah… he has been helping me find you two."

Taiyang stopped in front of a cafe. "Let's go inside. And I need to talk to Uncle Qrow, okay?"

Taiyang sat down at a booth with his daughter while he talked to Qrow.

As he heard the scroll ring, old instincts began to kick in. He started looking for any potential threats for him or his daughter.

There was only one person besides the cashier. A lady with long hair and a purple trench coat walked into the ladies' restroom.

She gave a wink toward him. Taiyang didn't know what to feel about that.

"Dad..." Yang started, "I have to use the restroom."

"Go ahead," Taiyang said while covering the scroll.

He kept his eyes on the bathroom.

"Yeah, Tai?" Qrow answered.

"I found Yang," Taiyang replied enthusiastically.

"Really?! Is Ruby with her?"

"Sadly no. But we'll get there."

"Where are you?" Qrow asked.

"I'm at the Camp Camp Cafe."

"I'll be there in a flash."

Taiyang watched as the lady left the restroom with Yang following a minute behind.

Yang sat down in front of Taiyang.

 _Eyes as red like roses._

"Yang, I don't want to pry… but what happened to your eyes?"

"I..." Yang started happily before turning somber. "I don't know."

Taiyang didn't want to pry. He didn't want to lose Yang. If Yang had something important to tell him, then she would.

Qrow popped into cafe, and immediately went for Yang.

"Uncle Qrow!"

Qrow hugged Yang.

"Heya, firecracker. Missed ya." Qrow's tone betrayed him. His voice was quiet and full of relief. He slide into the booth next to Yang.

"So… when can we find Ruby?!" Yang asked excitedly.

"When the time comes, we _will_ find her," both of them reassured the young girl.

"So what now then?" Yang asked slightly dejected.

Taiyang and Qrow shared a look.

"Perhaps on Patch..." Qrow started.

Both father and daughter shook their heads. Patch held too many bad memories. Perhaps one day, they could return, but today... they needed a fresh start.

"Maybe… _we_ could live at Vale… just for a bit?" Yang asked.

Taiyang was about to voice his approval before remembering what Qrow said.

"We should let Qrow decide."

Qrow closed his eyes and inhaled before exhaling.

"I'm… sure Tai has things covered," Qrow finally said.

Taiyang mouthed his thanks as Qrow's scroll buzzed.

"Now… I'll keep up the search for Ruby while you take care of Yang."

"Qrow..." Yang interrupted. "When you find Ruby… can you tell her that _I'm sorry?"_

" _Of course, Yang."_

* * *

"Oh fucking shit balls!" Dian screamed as the ground began to rapidly approach her before a huge gust of wind picked her up and carried her to a rooftop.

Acid reformed from the wind and she looked pale.

"Oh god..." Acid muttered before puking.

"We gotta get back up there, save the kids, and burn the place," Dian said to herself. "Launch me up!"

Dian turned to Acid, who was still puking and holding up a middle finger.

"Hurry up, bitch-ass! We're losing Yang!" That snapped Acid out of her hurling session.

Acid began to swirl into a miniature tornado and Dian allowed herself to be sucked into it.

She began spinning round and round until the tornado launched her at the broken window. Landing inside, she found the place lifeless.

Through her _eyes_ , she saw the twins in the closet.

Opening the closet door, she was almost attacked by the twins.

The twins after realizing that it was her, quickly hugged her. Dian felt uncomfortable, she didn't deserve it.

"Where's Yang?" Miltia asked.

"She's gone but we'll find her," Dian assured her.

"That… that idiot," Melanie said quietly. Her tone full of concern.

"We will find her. But right now, enact emergency plan alpha," Dian said.

"Which one is that again?" Miltia asked.

"The one where you pack up your shit and we burn the place."

Dian watched as the kids pack up their stuff- and Yang's… before quickly waiting out the room. Both Acid and Dian came up with a plan just in case if they had to bail on this place. Dian just liked blowing things up while Acid was more practical in it's application.

Acid was waiting in the lobby and Dian gave her the twins.

"Listen… after I get Yang, we're going to have a talk with _Junior_ about keeping this kids in a less obvious place. The gang wars are going to tear these kids limb to limb. And don't give me any snappy one-liners about irony, bitch-ass."

"Where the hell am I suppose to take the kids?" Acid asked.

Dian sighed loudly. Would she? _Could_ she?

"My… family home is in the remote part of Vale. It's on the fifteenth and eighteenth. Now go!" Dian said almost angrily. Her temper flared.

"Thanks, Dian."

The two of them went their separate ways.

Dian managed to _see_ where they took Yang. But she arrived too late. Her dad saved her. The two reunited in a tender display of family love and devotion, something she never had and would never have.

But she still kept watching them. Hei would say it was because they invested too much time into Yang. Acid would say it was because they wanted to make sure Yang was safe.

Dian didn't know. That… tugged on something in her.

When the dad and daughter enter the cafe, she entered and went into the bathroom, signaling Yang to come and talk to her.

The moment Yang entered, Dian felt like she should hug the kid and so she did.

"Are..." Dian started, "… are you alright? Is _he_ treating you alright?"

"Yeah! And my sister is alive! It… was all a misunderstanding."

"Oh… are you leaving us?" Dian asked.

Yang seemed conflicted. "I want to stay and help..."

"But family should be more important, right..."

"Dian! I still want to be with you but… I can't leave my dad again."

"It's fine… it's fine… but if you ever change your mind my house is on the fifteenth and eighteenth. It's in the… _peaceful_ part of Vale. But can you do me a favor?" Dian asked.

"Anything, Dian!" Yang exclaimed.

"Can you keep all of our times together a secret? And your aura too? You remember your aura hiding trick?"

Yang had a slight look of confusion before she nodded. "But can you do me a favor?"

"What is it 'lil killer?"

"Can you still help me find my mom and my sister?" Yang asked, with those _red_ eyes pleading at Dian.

"Anything for you, Yang. Now I gotta go. I hope everything works out for you."

* * *

Two days passed and they quickly found a small, quaint house to live in for the time being. Yang wanted to live in a more remote area, so Taiyang spent the rest of his lien to purchasing this home although he kept their home on Patch as he refused to sell it.

Qrow had slept on the couch while Taiyang slept in front of Yang's room.

The house had been plain and barren, a place to begin anew. It wasn't a home for him.

But he could never truly begin anew without Ruby. Yet… he was going to do his damnedest to make sure that it was a home for Yang… and when the time comes… a home for Ruby.

When the sun dawned into the house, Taiyang got up and went to Qrow.

"Come on, up!" Taiyang said quietly.

"Wha… five more minutes," Qrow muttered.

"Qrow… get up, we need to talk."

"Ugh. Fine."

Qrow got up and cracked his back.

"Where's my damn flask?" Qrow asked before finding his flask in his back pocket. After recent events, Taiyang found himself… a bit repulsed by alcohol. At least Qrow could take it and not turn into a horrible human being. But for Taiyang, he was never touching the stuff again.

"A bit early for a drink, isn't it Qrow?" Taiyang asked.

"What? I'm thirsty," Qrow retorted.

"Whatever works. But we need to discuss on how we find Ruby."

Qrow set down the flask.

"Agreed."

"Has your contact said anything else about Ruby?" Taiyang asked.

Qrow stiffed up. "No."

"Then how are we suppose to find her?" Taiyang asked with frustration in his voice. He needed to find Yang… not just for his sake but for Yang's and Ruby's sake. The two daughters needed to make amends.

"Tai… we're going to find her."

Qrow checked the time on his scroll. "Holy… it's the afternoon already?"

Taiyang rubbed the back of his head.

"Qrow, I need to discuss the long-term with you."

"What about it?" Qrow asked.

"Me and you both know that you can't stay much longer."

Qrow's face grimaced. " _Unfortunately,_ I have to leave later today. Off to Mistral once more. _"_

Taiyang was slightly frustrated at Qrow… because he always went on these ' _secret'_ missions. One of these days, he was going to figure out what took up Qrow's time.

"And I need a way to support me and Yang. I could probably do a simple extermination missions three or four days a week, but I would need someone to watch over Yang."

"And I'll be gone."

Qrow scratched his chin.

"Perhaps hire a sitter?"

They heard someone whooping loudly outside.

"You have weird neighbors," Qrow commented.

"Eh, I have had weirder."

"We still need to discuss Yang," Qrow said.

"If she wants to talk, then she'll talk. I'm not going to push the issue, but I made sure that she tell me if certain stuff happened. As far as I could tell, the worst that happened was that she was stabbed in the leg for not cooperating. I swear I will wring that bastard by his intestines."

"Me and you both, but do you think she… you know," Qrow said quietly. "Because of the eyes."

"If Yang decided to tell, then she would. Besides, eye changing color at a certain age isn't _that_ uncommon. Especially if her eye color changed into… _Raven's."_

"Dad… Uncle Qrow?" Yang said while shuffling into the living room.

"Yeah, Yang?" Taiyang asked.

"I'm hungry."

Taiyang glanced over to the kitchen. It was empty, just like the house.

"I'll go over to the market and get some food," Taiyang said. "Try not to give Uncle Qrow too much trouble."

" _Ha!"_ Qrow laughed.

He went out the door.

* * *

"So… how are you holding up Yang?" Qrow asked as Yang joined him on the couch.

"A bit better," Yang admitted.

"That's good. Listen… we're going to find Ruby… I could feel it in my bones, you know?"

Yang gave a small smile and rested her head on Qrow. She closed her eyes and asked a question that Qrow was dreading.

"Did you know my mom?"

Qrow took a very deep sigh. "Yang… are you sure you're ready?"

" _I am!"_ Yang said defensively and huffed.

Qrow chose his words carefully. This was a delicate subject especially for Yang. She was just a kid… a kid forced into extreme circumstances for the past few week.

"Raven- your mom, is my sister. And when you were born, she left you with your dad."

"But why?" Yang asked. Something shattered inside the little girl.

"I don't know. She must have her reasons." Something going deeper and deeper into a void. An illusion gone. A fantasy undone.

"So..." Yang started, her voice barely audible, "is there no chance with her?"

Qrow thought back to the message his sister sent to his scroll when they found Yang.

 _'Maybe, I was wrong.'_

Was there even a remote chance with Raven? He would like to say without a doubt. But her sister had changed. Yet… if there was even a sliver of the girl he knew while they were growing up…

And he still hoped that Raven would come back. Her admitting that she was wrong was a huge step. Perhaps one day, she could still what she was missing out. Yang was her daughter and soon or later, she would have to face that fact.

Raven was a still a good person, right?

"I'm sure if you find her, everything would work out."

He saw something in Yang. Hope was kindled inside Yang's heart.

"Hey, Uncle Qrow? Are you leaving us today?"

Qrow nodded his head. "I have to go on a mission but..."

His scroll pinged several times. He had set up several priority alerts for any number of situations.

"One second, Yang."

Checking his scroll, there was good news and bad news.

Besides a high-speed robbery, there was an incident at a docks that left a huntress dead… which was a thing not to be taken lightly.

Then… there was the good news. At the dead of night, a girl that matched Ruby's description was found boarding a ship to Mistral.

He felt his heart leap in joy. A lead!

It was almost like…

Then his scroll pinged again.

Amber was done with her training by Ozpin and was at the front door. The door bell had been broken when Taiyang bought the house.

He never understood why they couldn't just live on Patch. The housing there was much cheaper but perhaps a change of scenery was best for Yang.

"Give me a second, Yang. I have a friend at the door."

Getting up, he opened the door to find Amber with her usual getup except she had her hood down.

"Hey, Amber."

"Qrow. Are we leaving soon?"

"Yeah, but we gotta wait for Tai to come back. Why don't you come in while you wait?"

"I… I don't want to be imposing..."

"Psst," Qrow said while leaning in, "It's not my house."

Amber gave him a look before stepping inside.

"Who is that Uncle Qrow? Is that your girlfriend?" Yang asked.

Amber coughed awkwardly while Qrow laughed.

"Nothing official yet, Yang-" Amber coughed again. "- but she's a friend."

Amber sat next down to Yang who saw her weapon.

"Is she a huntress friend?" Yang asked.

"Something like that, but how about we do something else?" Amber asked. "Liiike… how about I read you a story?"

Yang had a weird look on her face.

Amber noticed it too, and decided to change course.

"How about I tell you stories about Mistral?"

"Mistral?" Yang asked, her curious red eyes widened. Qrow decided to respect both Tai and Yang's decision in the matter.

Perhaps it was nothing.

Or maybe it was more. But he shouldn't pine over that… he had a lead! And he was going to be chasing it as soon as they got into Mistral.

"Yeah, Mistral is a very interesting kingdom… very different from Vale. You'd like it. Right Qrow?"

Qrow thought back on the kingdom of Mistral and the things he seen.

" _Yep."_

* * *

Dian had been assigned the task of watching the twins at her… _house._ At least she could stomach sleeping in this house.

 _Junior_ had realized the folly of his mistake of playing his cards too close to his chest despite the fact that the gang wars were dying down, he still made the reasonable precaution.

Acid was teaching the kids upstairs. This place was perfect and out of the way.

It was imperfect in so many other ways though. The walls hid dark secrets and the floorboards creaked and ached with every step.

Turning her attention away from this sickening house, she _saw_ them. She had been watching them ever since they moved in.

Would some call that stalking? Yes.

Was it stalking? Probably.

Junior had chalked up Yang as a lost cause. He respected Yang's choice. Acid didn't care so long as Yang was happy. But her? She was stubborn to the end.

As she watched, she thanked her lucky stars that she could read lips. Her hearing was horrid but so long as she could _see_ , it didn't matter.

When they said that they needed a sitter, a plan formed in Dian's head and she whooped loudly at her brilliance.

She quickly covered her mouth. Then she _saw_ Yang's father leave the home and off to the market.

This was her chance!

She sped into her backyard and began hopping fences, in a desperate dash to get to the market before Yang's dad did.

Luckily for her, she managed to achieve that feat.

Once there, she pretended to examine a pair of watermelons. In the corner of her eye, she saw the man picking up some cereal.

Casually approaching him, she greeted him.

"Hey! Aren't you my new neighbor?" Dian asked, with a half-hearted tone.

"Oh?" the man said surprised.

"Name's Dian," she said and offered her hand.

"Taiyang." He slowly shook her hand.

"Sorry, I didn't welcome you as soon as you moved in. Been busy."

"Oh, it's fine. I understand," Taiyang said and they started moving down the aisle.

"So what do you do?" Dian asked, trying to steer the conversation to the question she wanted to ask.

"I'm a licensed huntsman."

"Oh, the hours must be rough," Dian said, ' _sympathetically'._

" _Yep."_

"I don't want to impose, but don't you have a daughter?"

"Yeah. She's my pride and joy."

"Ah, so the missus takes care of you while you go on daring missions," she said in fake awe.

"My… wife passed away."

"Oh… I'm sorry," Dian said in faux-sadness.

"No, no. It's fine you didn't know."

She should avoid that avenue of conversation. She needed to make sure Taiyang didn't hate her. Especially if things were to go as planned.

Taiyang sighed. "I gotta find a sitter."

 _Score_!

Dian thanked her lucky stars that Taiyang finally said it.

"You know, I could always watch your kid. I live right across the street."

"Are you sure? I don't want to force this on you," Taiyang said.

"It's no problem. No problem at all."

* * *

 **N** **ext Chapter: The First of the Forgotten Days**


	10. The First of the Forgotten Days

**A/N: After reviewing the criticism about the chapter, I have reorganized and revamped it to the best of my abilities. Some parts were removed, others shifted, and new things were added. Hopefully this flows better and is a much more stream-lined chapter than the previous version. I would still appreciate any criticism there may be.**

Chapter 10: The First of the Forgotten Days

* * *

"This is so _hard!"_ Amber stomped her foot down. "Argh!"

She threw her staff far into the vault.

"Is everything alright, Amber?" Ozpin asked.

"It's just so frustrating!" Amber complained. "And… the pressure… why she have to think about me in her dying thoughts?"

Ozpin put his hand on Amber's shoulder. "Circumstances may have forced you this hand, but… you will do just fine. Many Maidens before you faced similar issues, but they never backed down. I suspect you wouldn't either. And you got people to help support you. I'm here to help teach you how to grow with your powers and Qrow's going to keep you company in Mistral. _You aren't alone."_

Amber gave a small smile. "I don't know why Qrow called you all cryptic and… ' _chess-mastery'_ , because you've been nothing but frank about me and the mission."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "Qrow's sense of humor isn't for everyone. But I understand where he comes from."

"What do you mean?" Amber asked.

"I'm familiar with operating in the dark. It was partly out of shame because I've made more mistakes than anyone else on this planet," Ozpin said before sighing.

"It had taken a toll on me, but I broke out of that rut and came out stronger from it. People are more inspired by the heroes in the light than the ones that work in the dark. Both are ultimately needed, which is why I'm here now and why I became the headmaster. A deputy headmaster and huntsman could only do so much. I'm here to make sure that no one else will make the same mistakes as I did. Both you and the students here. I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to raise the next generations of huntsmen and huntresses to best."

Amber had a happy smile. "Then I don't suppose you can help me with summoning the wind?"

Ozpin tapped his cane on the ground several times, almost as a way of thinking.

"A previous Maiden had told me that breathing through the nose and letting your thoughts scatter helps," Ozpin offered.

"Isn't it the other way around? Focusing your thoughts?"

"Well, from what she told me, focusing your thoughts cement them in place. The wind needs to be free. So your thoughts must be detached. Only then, you could direct the wind. Keep in mind, that's not controlling the wind."

Amber followed Ozpin's directions. Breathing through her nose, her mind became wild and unbound. Her eyes were surrounded by a small flare of fire. She pointed to a wall and wind manifested from nature itself slammed into the wall.

And Amber didn't feel exhausted like last time. The fire around her eyes dissipated, and she proudly turned to Ozpin who had a father's grin as if he was a proud parent.

"Thanks, Ozpin."

"No need."

Amber looked around and asked, "Where's Glynda?"

"She's overseeing detention. There's been a troublesome student."

"What did they do?"

"He got drunk, claimed he knew ' _cheese'_ arts, and got beat up by a security guard."

"Heh. Sounds funny."

"It is and it's on video. Wanna watch?" Ozpin asked while holding his scroll. Amber was a bit surprised at Ozpin… but then again… not everyone could be serious all the time.

Amber grinned.

* * *

Glynda sat down quietly in the classroom. Apparently her first duty as an official teacher was to oversee detention. Well, actually it was fixing a broken window but Ozpin assured that she wouldn't have to clean up after the students. Despite most of the students being gone for the break, some had to stay in their dorms. And some were trouble makers.

Glynda would have preferred giving Gust the appropriate punishment, but Ozpin felt the public embarrassment was a bit too much. She felt like it was a slap on the wrist for him, but at least he seemed remorseful.

Kids were going to be kids according to Ozpin. Although, Glynda didn't really considering getting drunk and going around making fools out of Beacon students.

Bad publicity for hunters wasn't good for anyone. Ozpin seemed a little to relaxed about this whole thing. She couldn't really see how this would inspire anyone to become a huntsmen or huntresses.

Then again, with the stuff going on the news, people would be inspired by anything. Even if it was nothing but fake trash marketed to teenaged fangirls. Still, at least there was one reporter searching for the facts.

The mainstream news was a bit too censored for her tastes but it was for a good purpose she supposed. And at least the real news was getting out through the ' _underground'._

"How much longer do I have to stay here?" Gust asked.

Glynda glanced at the clock in the room. "Two more hours."

"Ugh… why did I have to get drunk?"

"Well, now you know. Although, the next time you pull a stunt like these, I'm having you _and_ your team on patrol."

" _Please!_ Don't give us the most boring job _ever._ And the rest of my team will kill me if you did that!"

"Then, learn from your mistake, Mr. Tera. And maybe we could meet on more amicable terms. Because I will be your teacher. And you aren't making a good first impression."

"I'm sorry Miss Goodwitch."

"Well, you should know this. You are team leader after all."

"Sorry," Gust repeated.

"Then show it."

Glynda wondered if she was suited for this. Teaching the next generations of hunters seemed like a notable pursuit, but students were going to be students.

Students weren't going to listen to a teacher they didn't like. And then they missed vital information. An uninformed hunter was a dead hunter.

Some of these kids might have been inspired by whatever positive marketing out there, but the reality was still out there.

How many hunters died on missions? Or what about the retired and PTSD-addled ones? And how many students know that despite their training being mandatory, that they could settle for being reserve hunters? They could take other jobs that weren't as dangerous.

Each kingdom was different. Some information was restricted and others weren't.

The red-tape to the public was necessary but that didn't mean she didn't like it. The system worked, did it not?

Most of the trouble happened outside the kingdoms anyway. Glynda didn't think anyone could imagine an attack inside the kingdom.

Glynda thought about her teaching full-time. Where sub work was mainly giving guest lectures or following the previous teacher's instructions, here she had to teach students entirely on her own. Then there was Ozpin's little mission.

She didn't know why she was picked specifically out of the many huntsmen and huntresses, but she would do her job to the best of her abilities.

Glynda looked at Gust Tera. He was a Beacon student, oblivious to the true horrors to the world. He may have been a second-year, but he still was inexperienced. Her students- like most kids their age, believe that they are invincible and fearless. They weren't going to be able to take on the world.

But Glynda was going to make sure her students were ready for anything.

* * *

Yang slept in the house. She couldn't believe this turn of events. _Ruby_ _was alive._

The burden on her shoulders had lessened significantly. She still had to find Ruby. Which was why Yang felt like it was her duty to help in anyway she could.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Uncle Qrow or her dad, but it was her fault Ruby was gone. It wasn't her dad's fault or Qrow's fault or Summer's fault. That blame rested on her shoulders and her shoulders _alone._

She looked around her empty room. Back at her… _old_ home, Yang and Ruby shared a room together. This room would never be her real home until Ruby was here.

Even if she had to work with Hei's crew. It didn't matter what she did. She needed to find Ruby. And then she could find her mom, then they could be a real family.

Her dad was doing better now. He was doing his best for forgiveness, and the fact that he cared enough to try was all she needed. He wasn't a bad person, but did Ruby know that? She was a little kid, susceptible and innocent.

Yang still couldn't believe what she said to Ruby. Her bottled-up anger drove them apart. She didn't want that. She wanted Ruby safe and happy.

It seemed like everyone wanted that.

Yang examined her half of the room. Half of it was filled with Ruby's stuff. It was just as if Ruby never left.

Besides, Ruby was going to need her room when they got her back.

She got up and looked at the mirror once more. Uncle Qrow was here and she took out the picture that dad gave her.

He didn't try taking it away from her. Her dad probably knew that would upset her. Her dad wanted to keep everyone happy. She set the photo near the mirror.

A connection began to form. Her mother had red eyes… and Uncle Qrow had red eyes. Her red eyes studied the photo.

 _Could it be?_

Stepping out into the living room, she found Uncle Qrow and her dad talking.

"Dad… Uncle Qrow?"

She had slept in and her stomach began to growl. It was nice having breakfast with family again.

"Yeah, Yang?" her dad asked.

"I'm hungry."

"I'll go over to the market and get some food," her dad said. "Try not to give Uncle Qrow too much trouble."

"Ha!" Qrow laughed. Yang was just happy that her family was on the road for recovery. Of course, it would never be complete without her little sister.

However, with Uncle Qrow, her dad, and herself looking for Ruby… it was only a matter of time. But they didn't know that they needed to find her mom too. Their family wouldn't be complete otherwise. Which was why she needed to question Uncle Qrow while she still could.

"So… how are you holding up Yang?" Uncle Qrow asked as Yang joined him on the couch.

"A bit better," Yang admitted. Things were finally turning around, she could finally believe that things were getting better.

"That's good. Listen… we're going to find Ruby… I could feel it in my bones, you know?"

Yang gave a small smile and rested her head on Qrow. She closed her eyes and asked a question that she needed to ask.

"Did you know my mom?" Yang asked.

Qrow took a very deep sigh. "Yang… are you sure you're ready?"

" _I am!"_ Yang said defensively and huffed. He didn't know that this family needed a mom- her mom.

"Raven- your mom, is my sister. And when you were born, she left you with your dad."

"But why?" Yang asked. Her mom wouldn't just up and leave?

"I don't know. She must have her reasons."

"So..." Yang started, her voice barely audible, "is there no chance with her?"

She needed to know that. Uncle Qrow was close to her mom, he would be able to give her hope that finding her mom wasn't a lost cause."I'm sure if you find her, everything would work out."

That solidified everything for her. She had to find Ruby and find her mom. Then everything would be alright. As great as her dad was, they still needed a mom. Summer had did a great job, and Yang had no doubt that her mom would be the same.

Yang saw Qrow flinch slightly.

"Hey, Uncle Qrow? Are you leaving us today?"

Qrow nodded his head. "I have to go on a mission but…"

Something pinged and Qrow said, "One second, Yang."

As Qrow looked at his scroll, Yang began to feel more hope. Yang wanted this family to heal. It had began the process. She wanted Ruby to be here. Ruby would be happy that the family was back together. Ruby was always slightly dependent on family.

"Give me a second, Yang. I have a friend at the door," Qrow said.

Yang turned her attention to the door. Qrow was talking to some stranger. The stranger stepped in and took off her hood.

"Who is that Uncle Qrow? Is that your girlfriend?" Yang joked.

The stranger coughed awkwardly while Qrow laughed.

"Nothing official yet, Yang-" Amber coughed again. "- but she's a friend."

The stranger sat down and Yang saw her weapon. It was a small staff. Nearly everyone crafted their own weapons, and Yang knew that eventually she wanted to make her own weapon.

Hopefully, once she thought to her plan. Find Ruby and her mom by helping Hei then… drop it. And maybe she could be a huntress like the rest of her family.

"Is she a huntress friend?" Yang asked.

"Something like that, but how about we do something else?" the stranger asked. "Liiike… how about I read you a story?"

Yang expressed her discomfort as politely as she could. She wouldn't smile like everything was okay. Because Summer… her adopted mother, it still opened old wounds. Luckily the stranger picked up on her obvious displeasure.

"How about I tell you stories about Mistral?" It wasn't often that other kingdoms were in the limelight. Unless it was a special event like the Vytal Festival, most kingdoms focused with on themselves.

"Mistral?" Yang asked, her curious red eyes widened.

"Yeah, Mistral is a very interesting kingdom… very different from Vale. You'd like it. Right Qrow?"

Qrow had a fazed look on his face. " _Yep."_

He took a long drink from the flask before realizing something. "Oh, damnit bladder. You two have fun. I gotta go use the men's room."

" _So…_ what's your name?" the stranger asked as Qrow left.

"Yang."

"Hey, Yang. I'm Amber. So what do wanna hear about Mistral? I got loads of stories."

Yang started thinking. She needed something to take her mind off this recent news otherwise she was going to be going around anxiously and then she was probably going to get frustrated.

"What… what is the biggest Grimm you fought?" Yang finally asked. Her parents used to tell her and… Ruby all about their daring exploits.

Amber blew out a small breath of air. "Now, that's a hard one."

She slammed her hands together. "I got it!"

Amber coughed into her fist and poorly replicated a smooth and deep voice.

" _In the lands of Mistral, there layeth a creature of Grimm, so vast and so destructive that not even the bravest of souls dareth-"_

"I don't suppose you could stop talking like that, please?"

"Oh fine. No sense of fun," Amber joked. "Anyway, _this Grimm was a real terrorizer._ _It had attacked numerous villages, destroying crops, and costing many innocent people their lives._ _Farming villages were hard to come by in the damp swamps of Mistral._ _It was a Nevermore…_ You know what a Nevermore right?"

"Bird Grimm?" Yang guessed.

"Close… but kinda off at the same time. This Grimm was huge. And it was really old, judging by how it ' _evolved'._ This Nevermore was huge, with it's white armor covering most of it's body. This type of Grimm had gotten the huge amount of it's armor on it's wings. This made it way more effective at long range. It's feathers went faster and struck deeper. It had garnered quite the reputation, to the point where the locals had called it ' _The Winged Demon'._ "

"Not an original name," Yang commented.

"You want me to finish the story or not?" Amber asked.

"Anyway, _the village put word out there about The Winged Demon, and soon enough a team of huntsmen came around to help slay the beast._ I think their team name was GRLA."

"Wait… where were you in this story?" Yang asked.

"Oh, I was just temporarily staying at the village when they came."

"So, you aren't the hero of the story?"

"Well, I slain my share of Grimm but nothing as mighty as The Winged Demon. Unless you wanna hear me boringly slay a pack of young Beowolves..."

"Fine fine. Finish the story please."

" _Team GRLA came to the village to wait for the beast. They decided to split the team up._ _One pair of partners to evacuate the village, and one to take the beast._ Of course, I slept in and didn't go with the evacuation. Besides, if I did it would be a boring story. So, I managed to see the fight through the inn windows. _The Winged Demon arrived with amongst the streaks of thunder and lightning._ _The two huntsmen were unfazed by the Grimm's size._ _Their battle was legendary._ _Armed with a simple gun-sword combo and a chainsaw bazooka, they waged war upon the beast."_

Yang grew more excited as Amber began to describe the battle in detail.

" _The sky was flooding and the beast screeched_ _as they began firing at the Winged Demon._ _Their bullets and missiles couldn't pierce it's hide._ _Luckily the leader was clever and he noticed that the weaker points of it's armor was around it's chest._ _He provided covering fire while his_ _partner_ _launched toward the great beast._ _Using the chainsaw, he cut a hole right square in the Nevermore's chest._ _Then he began chainsawing his way to the Nevermore's black heart._ _Once there, he stopped the Nevermore's heart and the beast fell off into the swamps._ _And the Winged Demon was no more."_

Yang started clapping before asking, "Wait, why didn't you fight?"

"I wasn't really trained at that point. So, I couldn't do anything to help."

"Ah."

Qrow came back into the room and soon her dad entered the house through the front door.

"Too bad. Looks like breakfast is here. And I was going to tell you a scary Mistral legend too. _The Witch in the Shadows._ It's a pretty good story too but maybe after breakfast."

"Aw." Yang accepted her fate and began eating breakfast. She began to think about Ruby. Was she eating alright? Did she have a warm bed and a roof over her head? Deep down, she knew Ruby was alright.

Yang started to formulate what she was going to say to Ruby.

' _Ruby. I know I have been a horrible sister, and I can't even begin to say how sorry I am._ _But we're sisters to the end. I know that one moment changed everything between us, but just give me one more chance._ _Remember all the times we spent together._ _I don't care if you forgive me, and you can hate me, but don't hate dad._ _Give this family a chance.'_

"Can you tell me the story _now?_ "Yang asked as she chomped on her scrambled eggs.

"Why don't wait until you're done?" Amber asked.

"No! Because you'll be gone. You don't tell someone about a story and leave."

"Heh, you got me there kid. Alright, you ready? It's kinda scary."

"Please. I'm fearless," Yang said arrogantly. After all she had been through, a scary legend didn't seem that bad.

"Alright, _The Witch in the Shadows."_

Yang set down her fork in anticipation.

" _Once upon a time, there was a witch. Nobody knew where the witch came from, but what they knew was that she should stay far away._ _For the witch would condemn all those who approach her to a_ _pitch-black_ _void for all eternity. A fate worse than death._ _She ripped the souls of warriors out of earthly bodies and_ _condemned_ _them to a fiery hell._ _Many valiant warriors tried and failed to smite the_ _evil_ _witch. All of them suffered the same fate. But eventually, the witch vanished._ _Most of them were weary of the witch's disappearance, for they knew not of the wicked schemes_ _she may have._ _However, they say she lurks in the shadows, stealing away children for a sinister purpose._ _Once you are taken, you will never ever see your family again._ _She hides in the dark of her houses, waiting and lurking for any_ _unsuspecting_ _child._ _Every child that disappears was the work of the witch._ _For no one could save you from the Witch in the Shadows."_

"I… don't think I will be getting any sleep tonight," Yang said sheeplisly.

"Don't worry, Yang. It's okay to be _chicken_ sometimes," Qrow joked.

"Like you?"

Qrow had a thoughtful look before he gave a small smile. "C'mon Amber. It's time to go back to Mistral."

"That anxious to get away from us?" Taiyang asked.

"Oh, before I forget… Ruby is in Mistral and I'm heading over there right now," Qrow said straight-faced.

Taiyang was serious now. "Find her."

"You know I will find here, Tai." Qrow turned to Yang. "I'll bring Ruby back, okay Yang?"

Yang gave a smile. That hope seemed so solid right now. When Uncle Qrow said he was going to find Ruby, _she believed him._

She knew that Hei wouldn't help find Ruby in Mistral… but she was still going to work with him. Because when she when Ruby got up, Yang wanted a family waiting for her. She wanted a loving mother, father, and sister waiting for her.

* * *

His family was broken.

Yet, appearances as to be kept up.

There was blood in the water and everyone was circling around them like vicious sharks, waiting to get their teeth into them.

He would not give them any chance to strike. His time of mourning had to be brief. The world continued to march on.

And today was the day that everything changes.

But there was one last thing he had to do before he could be ready to face the day. His time beforehand was spent preparing for this day, mourning, and training his eldest daughter.

Winter was well on her way to Atlas Academy. While the prospect of her becoming a huntress still slightly irked him, he needed to make sure she was ready.

He had already taught her such things about their semblance. Winter was already skilled in time dilation but likewise she had struggled with summoning like he did.

Normally, he would have pushed her far past her limits in order to help her learn but there would be no time for such a feat.

Then there was the matter of making sure everything went smoothly. Today was an important day. There was an impressive amount of important and refined attendants in the guest list. One of which was Brigadier-General Ironwood, the recently-appointed headmaster of Atlas Academy.

It was a golden opportunity. A chance to impress the headmaster to allow his daughters ease of passage through the academy and secure the coveted military contract away for SneBier's grubby little hands.

Speaking of which, he had suspected her involvement. Oh, there was a cold hell for people that dared to attack him or his family.

But right now, he wanted confirmation. After all she _had_ to be here. It would be foolhardy not to miss this. Hell, he already sent for some news-reporters from all the other kingdoms.

He had just sent the last invitation to that Vale reporter, _Lisa Lavender._

Everything was going to change after today. Yet, when everything changed, he wanted to revel in SneBier's defeat. And then, after he crushed Sturm SneBier utterly, only then would he end her.

Right now, he needed closure on this.

To that end, he made sure the door to his office was locked and he summoned a spinning glyph in the center of his office.

Everything felt a little off this time. But he searched deep within him, and ripped the _animal_ out.

A ghostly version of his wife's murderer manifested within the circle.

" _What's going on?"_ the degenerate asked, while clutching it's side. It was clearly weakened and tired, but it was stronger than most others than he had taken away. It even had a sense of… personality _to it._

"Silence."

But it still obeyed his command.

"Now… were you involved with Sturm SneBier?" he asked.

The apparition nodded.

"Now what did she want with you? I don't recall any mercenaries like you in Atlas."

" _I'm not a_ _mercenary._ _I'm just one of the many people you wronged, you bastard!"_

"Silence."

It seemed like this summon could speak on it's own accord.

"Then, why would she hire a rouge?" he asked.

" _I'm not even that! Sturm babbled something about a fairy tale, and I fought a mirror then-"_

"Enough of your babbling."

His summons were compelled to tell the truth. This truth was… abnormal. However, sometimes the truth was stranger than fiction.

"What fairy tale?" he finally asked.

" _Reflections in the Mirror,_ _you asshole piece of-"_

"Silence."

It's disobedience was getting old, as he began to rifle through his bookcase. He finally found the book he was looking for.

 _'The Reflections in the Mirror'_

 _O_ _nce upon a time there was a warrior in a far away land. He stood alone; no army, no nation, to country to fight for. He was in it for the glory and the bloodlust_ _b_ _ut even the greatest of warriors fall._ _So_ _when he fell, he fell hard._

 _Failure drove the warrior mad and_ _thus_ _began his quest for power._ _He believed that he was flawed and imperfect._ _He dedicated himself to achieving physical perfection._ _Yet t_ _hat did not sate his pursuit._ _So he consorted a traveling wizard to aid in his pursuit and threatened the wizard into getting rid of his imperfections._

 _The wizard knew about the darkness that festered inside the warrior's heart. He plucked the infection out of the man's heart and the power from the man's soul. No longer would the warrior be awakened nor would he be enlightened._

 _The wizard transferred the power into a power, creating a reflection of the warrior. A reflection of the warrior_ _that he_ _should not strive to be._ _The warrior, having seen the error of his ways, thanked the wizard and spent the rest of his days as a man of peace. The wizard entrusted the mirror to the former warrior and the wizard continued onto his journey._

 _When the former warrior died, another warrior found the mirror. She wanted to expel the flaws and the darkness inside her heart too._ _Entering the mirror, she battled her own demons. The mirror very narrowly consumed her, but she defeated herself._

 _When she left the mirror, she came out stronger for the mirror granted her power out of respect for destroying the evil in her heart._

 _She won countless battles, and when she passed, the power returned back to the mirror._ _Other_ _warriors craved that same power. It may not have been the strongest magic_ _yet they craved it because any_ _awakened and enlightened can achieve that perfection._

 _Many tried, many failed,_ _many consumed by their demons._ _So many warriors consumed due to their lust for power. Every now and again, a powerful warrior would conquer their flawed reflection and became mighty warriors._

 _Yet, there can only be one wielding the power at any given time._ _The one wielding the magic grew arrogant and eventually a skilled warrior would slay them and the mirror was once again free to test warriors of their worthiness and power. It was a horrible cycle. Friends turned to foes in hopes of achieving that power._

 _O_ _ne day the mirror vanished, never to be seen again._ _There were skirmishes and battles raging amongst the warriors, all in desperate attempt to find the mirror._ _After that period of great fighting,_ _t_ _he warriors seeking the mirror realized that they didn't need magic to be perfect. The mirror became a lost dream as warriors of yesteryear became stronger without the need for magic._

 _S_ _ome say the mirror is still out there, ready to test any warrior but one should approach carefully, for they may fall victim like the fallen warriors before them._

"So you're saying this fairy tale is real?" he asked.

"Was. I killed the mirror. And I got some of it's bastard memories."

"Then tell me the mirror's story and your story. Tell me all the details. And start from the beginning."

"Right away captain shit-head. Alright, I'll start when the mirror was first discovered."

* * *

"What the hell?" he muttered.

He approached the mirror. Who the hell leaves a mirror in this cavern? It looked old… yet regal. The black frame seemed to be made out of a crystal of some sort but he couldn't identify.

Besides, that wasn't his job. His job was to make sure that the mining went smoothly. Dust was a precious and rare resource and the occasional bandit gang may try their luck by raiding a Dust mine. Still, the cavern here was mostly empty save for this mirror. It could still be worth something and bandits aren't very picky.

He radioed in some other guards to help him as he couldn't halt the progress on the mining.

"What's this all about, Cor?" one of his men asked when they arrived.

"Found something. Looks old, ancient almost."

"Like your love life?" one of them asked before he broke out into laughter.

"Laugh it up, Mint."

"Well, a kid will do that to you. How is the little devil?"

"Focus on the job, Mint… and Theresa is doing fine. Now back to business."

"Standard artifact procedure?" It could be worth something. He nodded and they holstered their weapons. He stood guard while they carefully lifted the mirror out of the cavern.

They gently led it outside the entrance and into the cold winter air. They set it down and took deep breathes.

"Fuck, that thing is heavier than it looks," Mint complained. They shouldn't be complaining, they were decently trained in their aura.

Not even remotely close to a huntsmen level, but it should have been enough to handle a mirror.

"Who's making the call? Because I'm not," Cor said.

"Damn it, Cor. I'm not calling this in. Have the new guy do it," Mint stated. The new guy looked down. Cor would cut him some slack this time.

"Don't push it onto the newbie, man."

"Fine. I'll do it." The guard walked off and made the call while Cor approached the ' _newbie'._

"Sir?"

"Please none of that sir or Pazuzu, sir crap. Just call me Cor."

"Yes sir." He hoped the new kid was joking. Obviously the kid hadn't spent any time in actual military like most of the guys.

"How are you holding up, kid?" he asked.

"A bit colder than I'm used to. But I'll manage." From what he understood he was a transfer from Mistral and they didn't have to serve _'unofficial'_ mandatory military service. Atlas wasn't very liberal with that unlike the rest of the kingdoms.

"Just keep your head up."

Hopefully, he could rub some of his experience in the military onto the new kid, he might need it. Their aura wasn't much compared to huntsmen and drop-outs, but the military taught him to be smart. And the first lesson was never to let their guard down. The kid went by the mirror and stood guard.

Standard extraction procedure took a while. Then he felt a chill in the air. Every instinct told him something was up and his instincts were on point… most of the time. He gripped his rifle. He let out a low whistle, a signal to be on guard.

Each guard would whistle to another, passing the signal around. And of course the new kid wasn't privy to the signal. He walked up to the kid and held up a finger to his mouth. The kid nodded and stood guard.

A gunshot shot on by, nearly hitting the rookie. The kid fired blindly toward the direction of the gunshot, while Cor took aim. He couldn't see anything in this damn snow. The other guards began firing and eventually the gunfire ceased. They brought a wounded bandit in front of him. He was on his knees, eyes filled with malice.

"Aura?" His men nodded. It was more paper work bringing them in alive, besides he was probably doing the bandit a favor.

He took out a pistol and cocked it. The bandit managed to break free from their grasp and charged forward with a small pocket knife. He blocked the slash with his arm, his aura protecting him. He then took out his gun and blasted a hole in the bandit's brain.

"Fuck!" the newbie cried.

While the men jostled the rookie, he felt something pulling him from behind and before he could even react, he was swept off his feet and pulled into the mirror. He didn't even have any time to scream, and he was surrounded by complete darkness. He aimed his rifle and looked around. Nothing but a dark void. He unsuccessfully tried to keep his calm but worry overtook that. He needed to get back!

"Hello?!" he yelled. His shouts was consumed by the dark, and he felt everything rumble slightly. The same mirror from learner rose from the dark. He pointed his rifle to it and slowly approached it. He tapped the mirror with his knuckle once. It was solid.

He backed up from the mirror and stared into his reflection. A gruff man with a dark hair and a small stubble bore into his soul. Despite it being him, company armor and all, it was eerie. The reflection wasn't his… and every bone in his body warned him.

He pointed the gun at the mirror… and his reflection didn't follow his movements. He fired.

* * *

The mirror finished inscribing the fairy tale onto the dead warrior before it. The man was a mere awakened, but it needed to get the message out. For too long, the mirror had languished inside. That damn winter Maiden sealing it away really aggravated the mirror.

It couldn't even consume this dead warrior's aura, which infuriated it even more. It only gotten the warrior's last few moments of him living. The mirror's power had decreased since the time it spent in this void. This damn void devoid of life and those precious memories. It could no longer _experience_ those memories and it could barely recall them right now.

The memories was all it had.

It craved knowledge and power more than ever. It needed to feast on a bountiful amount of aura to regain its former glorious state. It threw the corpse out of the void. Now all it had to do was wait.

The mirror despite it's fading knowledge, had a deep understanding of human nature. All it had to do was set the bait and watch as the humans fall for it.

The mirror shifted into one of it's older forms out of boredom.

It was an ancient being. Older than most. She remembered that damn winter Maiden and that damn… warrior. His aura would have been scrumptious to absorb.

What was that warrior's name?

Ozpin.

The mirror formed a hand to snap it's fingers. It was a human gesture and the mirror's hand cracked from snapping it's fingers.

The mortality of the mirror came back. Years hidden away sapped away at it's power.

It's physical form was more vulnerable than it usually was. The battle with Ozpin and the winter Maiden weakened it's physical form greatly. The mirror was no longer nigh invulnerable. But luckily anything less than magic wouldn't shatter it.

The mirror had waited for a long time, anticipating for someone to find it.

Now, it had a chance to regain it's glory.

The mirror was brought into this world for one purpose, and it considered that it did it's job well.

It thought back to it's creator. The wandering wizard. The mirror's memories of human interactions was… dusty.

The wizard was it's father… in human terms. It _hated_ the wizard. It had came into this world for only _one_ purpose and the wizard just casted it aside.

Who did that wizard think he was?

When the mirror took form, the wizard abandoned it! The wizard knew it was _alive!_ So when it begged it's… ' _father'_ for a body, he rejected it because the aura and emotions it absorbed were _evil._ He even spat in it's face by forcing it to give it's power up when it was defeated.

Throughout the years, the mirror had tasted every type of mortality. It experienced good… evil, they were all the same thing. The mirror had learned that the only person… thing that mattered was itself.

The wizard denied the mirror a body! So the mirror sought knowledge and power. It absorbed and absorbed in hopes of reclaiming a body.

Right now, the mirror was going to reclaim it's power.

Years upon years have passed, the world may have had found a way to give it a body. Magic and aura had failed it, but perhaps the budding art of science had progressed significantly?

It always dismissed those ' _scientists'_ as fools.

No matter the case, the mirror had to start anew. It shall find a way to _live._ All those memories of walking down beaches, eating, breathing, and _loving._ It could experience those memories but never live them.

It would find a way.

* * *

"Where the hell am I?" Gale shouted into the void.

"You're in me," a chorus of overlapping voices said.

"Sorry, but ew."

Something gently grasped Gale's shoulder. Gale spun around, trying to scratch whatever touched her. Her shoulder began to burn.

"What the fuck did you do?" Gale screamed.

A body made out of glass manifested in front of Gale.

Gale tried jumping at the glass figure but it merely flicked it's hand and Gale was flung onto her ass.

"It's pointless… pointless, pointless," the voices echoed from the glass figure. Gale noticed that… a piece of _her_ shoulder was on it.

"Could you cut the echo out and _fight._ "

"Why? I already won. Even if you did fight… your aura is weak and pathetic. I fought so many enlightened and so many awakened, and I gotten pretty good at reading people."

"Then what, I'm suppose to lie down and die?"

"We could talk shop. I got your memories."

" _Don't you dare,"_ Gale threatened.

"Who is Zephyr?" the mirror sneered.

"Argh!" Gale tried slashing the figure but it disappeared and reappeared right behind Gale. It got Gale into a choke hold and whispered, "If only you could have saved Zephyr. If only you were there."

The void shifted into one of _those_ days. Gale and Zephyr were in an argument. Gale watched helplessly as the mirror prevented her from moving.

" _Why can't you support me?" Zephyr asked… pleaded._

" _I always support you! But trust my judgment just this once!" The Gale in the scene shouted._

" _Gale, I love you, but please… please… trust me."_

 _The past Gale threw up her hands in defeat. "Fine… fine. You win."_

"You should have kept her from going!" the mirror accused her.

"Shut the fuck up!" Gale broke free from the mirror's grasp.

She spun around and saw the mirror with her entire arm as it's own. Gale noticed that her own arm felt… numb as if it wasn't there.

"You know… you're lucky enough to even challenge me. _"_

" _Ain't I a lucky lady?"_ Gale spat. "So what the fuck are you?"

"I'm going to be you. Everything you are… I will be… but _better."_

Gale charged once more but the mirror grabbed Gale's numb arm and twisted it.

"You're dead weight. Sturm had sent much better warriors than you. Their aura now resonates inside of me."

"Yeah, well, then I must be the prettiest one here then," Gale retorted.

"Is that what Zephyr told you?"

The mirror paused and the glass glinted. Gale felt a memory being plucked from her soul.

"Oh ho. That's what Zephyr used as a pick-up line? Strange, I wouldn't have pegged you as a submissive."

"Shut it!"

The mirror tapped Gale's forehead and she was flung back several feet.

"Poor poor Gale," the mirror taunted.

Gale struggled to get up. "I will tear you limb from limb!"

"Tsk tsk. You should really chill out. It's pointless. You know, usually I would knock you out before I start the absorption, but no need. Just relax, and I'll let you experience happy memories. I win, you win. The connection between us will be almost enjoyable. Unless you want to fight? But that won't do you any good. We're connected."

The mirror broke one of it's right pinkie finger and Gale felt her pinkie break. Gale bit her lip to stop her from crying out.

The mirror flickered into an almost completed reflection of Gale, except for her head- stopping just at the neck.

"Then enough talking. I'm going to go down swinging."

"You know, I gotta admire your tenacity. I've experienced a great number of things from the memories I have taken. I've seen Maidens rise and Maidens fall. I've seen the Knights ride and the Knights die. I've seen Ronins glorified and Ronins vilified. I've seen Martyrs shrouded and Martyrs revealed. I've seen demons redeemed and angels disgraced. I know where the Grimm come from and the secrets of Dust. Witches and wizards, sorcerers and sorceresses. But seeing your determination up close, that's something. I like making memories of my own."

"Nice to know I make you feel all warm and fuzzy," Gale said. She charged once more but the mirror grabbed her by the throat and tossed her back to the ground.

"Thank you, Miss Soot," the mirror said as it rubbed it's own throat.

Gale stood up, defeated. "So what now?"

"I almost have enough aura to make contact. Maybe with magic and science combined I could have a body. Is Salem still around?" the mirror started blabbering.

"No, about me? Is there an afterlife? Or I'm I just stuck in you forever?"

"Your aura is. A reflection of you would be inside me but your actual soul? Who knows? Maybe you will, maybe you won't, I never bothered to find out."

Gale didn't like that answer. If she was going to die, then she wanted to be in whatever afterlife there was with Zephyr. She didn't want to be stuck with this mirror forever. Besides, anything to spite this mirror was welcomed… and deep down, she just wanted to see Zephyr one last time.

So she was going to go out on her own terms.

Gale, in one swift motion, slashed her throat with her claws. She felt cold and collapsed onto her side, her eyes still on the mirror.

"Wait, what?" the mirror said before it's throat started bleeding. "Oh… I got cocky didn't I? Well…"

The mirror collapsed onto it's knees, as shards of glass were flying out from behind her. "Congratulations, you win. But… please..."

The connection between the two snapped, but not before Gale learned that magic could destroy the mirror. The mirror had kept that as a secret, but in it's arrogance… that secret slipped.

"Don't… _I don't want to die,_ " the mirror pleaded as it faded away. The shards of glass flew into Gale's torn throat and healed her.

Gale got up renewed.

But there was one last thing she had to do before she left this void and destroy this mirror.

With a wave of her hand, a scene began to form. A memory, but with the mirror's magic, she could reshape the memory, just a bit.

It was their home, disheveled and rugged but that's what they loved about their home. It was theirs.

"Hey, Gale. What are you doing here?" Zephyr said as she got ready to live for her last day on Remnant.

Gale said nothing and hugged Zephyr tight. "And hello to you too."

Slowly breaking away from the hug, Gale caressed Zephyr's cheek. It had been so long. Gale didn't know how much she missed Zephyr until now.

"I will be with you soon. But could you do something for me?" Gale asked.

"What's wrong, darling?"

"Just… _please."_

Zephyr nodded.

"Just… say you'll forgive me."

Zephyr had a puzzled look on her face but said it anyway. "I forgive you."

The mirror's realm began fading away and Gale knew she was being pulled back into the real world.

Gale kissed Zephyr for the last time.

* * *

Locus looked at the picture for the first time in a long time. He had received news about his partner. Looked like his partner was dead. The two had split up ever since their little fight.

Of course, Felix would argue that he had gone soft. Locus just didn't want to take the more damning jobs anymore. He was a drop-out, not a monster.

He secured the sword on his back again. It was for the better. Felix was brash and reckless. It was a weakness more often than not.

Still, he missed his partner back when they trained at Beacon. Before they went on one of those missions. The missions that made them see the very worst in _everything._ Grimm weren't the only monsters that day.

It was the day the ditched their names and began to take on codenames. Felix was Felix and Locus was Locus. They weren't Beacon students any longer, they were drop-outs.

Morals became looser and they began taking any type of mercenary job that could to survive. It was only after they had abandoned a village to the Grimm did Locus see that they became the monsters that changed them.

They fought, and went onto their separate paths. It was for the best, the road they had traveled on finally split and they had to follow their own roads.

Felix opted to stay in Vale and operate solo. Locus however made his way to Atlas. From there he gathered a crew of mercenaries. He wouldn't call them morally good, but they didn't stoop to bandit level.

Locus wouldn't shed any tears for Felix. The most he did was empty some of his flask into the cold snow, out of respect for a _former_ , fallen comrade. Felix was his partner during their time at Beacon, he at least deserved something.

Locus's Mercs of Chorus were steadily gaining a reputation. Both with the military and clients. The Atlas Military had already put a price on their heads, but that was a sign of a good mercenary group.

Even if their vendetta was slightly personal after they humiliated Brigadier-General Ironwood when they stole some highly advanced military tech.

He began to check around his camp's perimeter. Their white tents blended very well with the environment but that didn't mean their defenses were impenetrable.

A general sweep revealed no bandits nor any other thieves or rogues. He wasn't _too_ worried about the Grimm.

His men were trained to be mostly fearless. Otherwise, they were hardened through years of conflict. Satisfied, he returned to his tent and began planning on going to a village for supplies and reprieve from the cold.

His scroll chimed. Someone wanted to contact his crew for a job. Which was good, they were running low on lien.

A simple job. His crew and him had gotten a good reputation, to the point where clients accepted their policy of half of their payment up front. As he read into the mission, he got the sense that this was someone who held a grudge.

Hit up the Schnee household during their little gala, make a lot of noise, and _humiliate_ them. It seemed like the client wanted a sense of twisted humor. They wanted them to dress up as White Fang and quote ' _put them in their place.'_

It was a high-risk, high-reward scenario. There was going to be military personnel there, specifically their old friend Ironwood. Most of his mercs took pleasure in being a thorn in the military.

Something was slightly off about the message, but the client had already paid half of their normal in advanced.

Whatever was going to happen, they could take it.

The sun began to dawn through and the day had begun.

* * *

The grandfather chimed, and the day had began.

Today was the day she had to be the best. Today, she was going to be in front of the crowd. Her father was going to be a different kind of person today. He wasn't going to be her father, but a businessman.

Likewise, she had to be Weiss Schnee the Heiress… not _just_ Weiss Schnee. Could she do it? She didn't have any experience with this. Winter had some experience with this thing, but she ran away. But… she didn't have the luxury of giving up.

She would never have the chance to do so. She would never ever stop. But something deep down, didn't _want_ to stop.

Getting up from the bed, she went in front of the mirror. Things change, and the mirror always seemed to reflect that.

Her glassy eye and her scars marked her face. While it was a reminder for her, but it was unsuitable for everyone else.

To that end, she got the huge eyepatch that was custom made for her. The eyepatch was designed to cover most of her face, as to hide those scars and it bore the Schnee family symbol. Of course, most of the time, symbols were changed when the person turned thirteen. However, Weiss couldn't think of ever changing it.

Likewise, she couldn't ever remove these scars nor replace her eye. Prosthesis were significantly advancing quite rapidly but she saw it as the weak way out. Even if she was struggling with her training. Even if it was a source of private embarrassment but she was slowly climbing back up to her old level of skill of eye-to-hand coordination.

The only good thing that has happened since… _the incident,_ was her semblance. Father had been training Winter with her semblance. He couldn't devote his time to both of them, so he opted to train Winter so her older sister could train her before Winter went off to Atlas Academy.

Her father had become a very busy man. Of course, he was always busy but now… it seemed like that increased thrice-fold.

It was, of course, his responsibility. He had been making phone calls all day, setting and preparing things for the grand reveal as he called it. He did not disclose the details to Weiss or Winter, but they had to be their best for today.

Weiss had been busying prepping for today. Just like her father, just like Winter. But only both of them worked on semblance training. It made sense, Winter was going off to the Academy soon and she needed all the help she could get.

But that didn't deter Weiss from training on her own. She outstretched her arm and opened her hand. A small glyph formed in her hand. This was the biggest she could project a glyph. It had been much smaller before but each time she trained, she could summon bigger glyphs.

The most she could do with her semblance was project stuff forward and back. Yet, it was obviously destined to do such more. She saw the power that her father exhibited during the ' _incident'._ Weiss Schnee. A prodigy in more ways than one. A reserve huntress in the making. Heiress to the Schnee name and Company.

That was what she was, not who she was… yet. She stared at the eyepatch. Weiss Schnee was going to be an heiress, prodigy, and reserve huntress.

Right now, she wasn't all that but it was her destiny to become something greater. Her father told her this was the day that everything changes. It was true. Today, Weiss Schnee was going to be _publicly_ introduced to the world.

Her pressure would be now thrice-fold. She was a Schnee, she could handle it.

Masking her face, she was ready to face the day. Today the world was going to change.

* * *

The world was changing. The announcement was just an indicator on how fast the world was going to change. Blake knew that she needed to be there, _helping_ reform the world for the better. But right now, she was in now position to argue or fight.

She had been through so much, and so had Adam. Right now, she just wanted to rest while she still could. This was going to be a long ride to Mistral. It was going to be their new home.

Blake gripped Adam's hand after they heard the news from the holo-screen. Things were changing. Both Blake and Adam knew it.

After all they had been through, they couldn't even have a moment of peace. Lopez and Tukson were already quietly discussing the news.

But Blake had enough of that excitement, she just wanted to enjoy the calm while she still could.

Adam started to say something in outrage but Blake just put her head on his shoulder.

"Please. Just later," Blake pleaded. She didn't want to talk, but just enjoy being with Adam again.

Adam looked to Blake and with resignation, closed his mouth. Adam's shoulders relaxed as Blake rested her head.

"Are… are you the only one left?" Blake asked.

He turned his head, and Blake knew she struck a chord.

"I'm sorry for asking," Blake muttered.

Adam took a long sigh before saying, "I am."

"I… I don't know what to say."

"Then don't," Adam nearly snapped as Blake flinched. "Look… I'm sorry… I just don't want to talk about it. I was trapped… _powerless_ as I watched kids die."

Blake didn't say anything. She couldn't even mouth an apology. His hardships- his trials seemed so much worse in comparison. It would just demean everything.

"But as long as you were safe-" Adam started.

"I..." Blake tried to say she wasn't always safe, but that felt like spitting in Adam's face for all the hardships that he had face.

"What is it? You could tell me."

Adam seemed like the one person she could trust- the person she could confide in.

"With my aura, I… killed… someone," she whispered quietly.

"Who?" Adam asked, somewhat stunned.

"The guy who took you," Blake said, ashamed.

Adam closed his eyes, almost internally debating something. "Then… _good."_

Blake didn't know what to say. She expected Adam to be mad or ashamed. Maybe that was her projecting herself on him.

"But… but..." Blake said. "He had kids."

"That didn't change what he did," Adam justified.

"So… he was still one of the bad ones?"

"They're all bad one way or another."

"Not all of them," Blake muttered.

"That doesn't matter. We're going get a new home in Mistral, then… we got aura. We have the power to change the world for the better."

"We're just kids," Blake said.

"Kids without a proper childhood. They stole that from us," Adam said.

"I know… but sometimes… do you ever want that childhood back?"

Adam gripped her hand. "Once… but now that it's gone, it's gone forever. But we can chance the future for the better."

"I know," Blake said quietly. "But… doesn't it seem like things changing a bit too quickly?"

There was always that lingering doubt in Blake's mind but with Adam, it seemed to fade away.

"Things will change for the better. But we won't change. We'll always have each others backs. I won't let you go like last time. We'll do things together. We'll change things for the better."

"Together forever?" Blake asked.

"Together forever," Adam reaffirmed.

"Hey, Adam?" Blake asked while yawning.

"Yeah?"

"Do you have a story to tell me?" Blake asked. Reading books had always helped her sleep. And Blake wanted one more moment of rest.

"There was one story. That I heard before. _The Sword of the Ronins."_

"Tell me, please!"

"Alright. Forgive me if I'm a little rusty. _Once upon a time there_ _was a_ _sword-smith_ _whose swords were famed for their greatness._ _Many warriors had came to him seeking his famous steel_ _._ _Only those who were worthy were granted such an honor._ _But as time marched on, the sword-smith grew old and a mighty Grimm emerged from the depths of hell itself._ _Four humble warriors came to the old sword-smith to have him forge four swords to help them slay the Leviathan Grimm._ _The sword-smith knew that it would take more than regular steel to kill such a beast._ _So, he forged four magic blades._ _"_

Blake yawned and started drifting away.

" _It was said that the sword-smith used_ _metal from the moon itself._ _The four blades were forged in the light of the day, the dark of the night,_ _the_ _shadow_ _of a_ _n_ _eclipse, and_ _when the stars shined brightest_ _._ _The blades held special powers._ _Each of the other warriors named their swords per tradition._ _The silver warrior dubbed_ _her_ _sword_ _of the stars_ _Argentum_ _O_ _culos._ _The phoenix warrior dubbed her sword of the sun Cinis Lacrima._ _The time warrior dubbed his sword of the eclipse Probus Anima. And the wolf warrior dubbed his sword of the night_ _Luna Plena._ _"_

Blake muttered, "That's so cool."

"Swords are pretty cool aren't they? Maybe we should learn how to use swords."

"Yeah," Blake said absentmindedly.

" _The four warriors fought the massive_ _Leviathan._ _Armed with the mystic might of the swords,_ _they brought battle to the great beast._ _Their battle raged across the lands_ _._ _Villages were vanquished and lives were lost. But the battle would have gone much worse had they not bring the swords. Yet… even armed with such majestic weapons brought about by sorcery, they fought the battle alone. Realizing their folly, the four warriors began to fight the Leviathan as one. The sun, the moon, the stars, and the sky itself emerged to help bless the warriors in their battle._ _"_

"How?" Blake asked.

"I dunno. It was magic or something. I think. Whatever, it's a fairy tale. Don't read too much into it."

"Okay, I guess."

" _With nature itself helping, they managed to slay the beast._ _Realizing the power of the swords and the capacity for destruction_ _,_ _they returned to the sword-smith to hide away the weapons. The sword-smith agreed to hold_ _on to the swords in case they are needed again. But word had spread about the swords and their power. And in the dead of night, a thief murdered the frail sword-smith and stole the swords away._ _The four swords_ _began to transfer from hand to hand, some were used for noble purposes and others for sinister purpose._ _The four swords were a source of great strength. Conquerors lusted after the swords… and the swords' original purposes were twisted._ _So the swords disappeared from history._ _Until four warlords arose in the north, the south, the east, and the west. The swords were claimed once more by four humble warriors. They brought down the tyrants before they disappeared. They knew the swords' history_ _and the temptation that came with the power. So they hide in the vast wilderness, only emerging to slay the threats to the peace. And they became engraved in many myths and legends for they were the Ronins._ _The end?_ _"_

"Thanks, Adam."

Blake began to drift into sleep. She liked dreams. It was a reprieve from the cold world, and allowed people to dream of a better world.

* * *

Cinder hated dreams. Often times, they brought ill omens, memories of a tortured past, or something more sinister.

This dream was _that_ dream. It unnerved her to say the least. It would always unnerve her.

The shattered moon sat still amongst the purple sky. Landmass jettisoned up from the earth, neither mountain nor hills.

Purple crystals sprouted like weeds all across the barren ground. Cinder didn't like this place. Despite everything, it chilled her to the bone.

The air was cold and dry. Dreams were almost real as reality. Especially if it was those types of dreams. The last time she was here, she wandered endlessly before waking up. The last time, she thought only of herself.

Now, she wondered about Ruby. Sometimes she felt like she wouldn't wake up from this dream. Before, she might have scoffed at the thought. That was in the past… now she had to find her way out of this nightmare.

Walking through the dead and hollow lands, she wanted this nightmare to end.

A scratchy and inhuman voice called out from the emptiness.

 _And lo, for he came upon them with a stead of fire and strife. Wielding a sword of death and devastation, he brought despair wherever he rode._

 _No one could escape him. Neither man nor Grimm, he slew tAnd lo, for he came upon them with a stead of fire and strife. Wielding a sword of death and devastation, he brought despair wherever he rode._

 _No one could escape him. Neither man nor Grimm, he slew them all. Body of a man, heart of Grimm but he held no empathy for man or Grimm._

 _There was only blood lust in his blackened heart._

Dreams were confusing and scary, especially if there was some sort of hidden meaning in them.

A cold and harsh wind blasted her. Cinder summoned some fire in her hands to keep warm. The blast of cold air snuffed out Cinder's fire and brought back that voice.

 _When he rides, the sky will turn red with blood and the stars shall watch the destruction he wroughts. Hell will be raised, fire and brimestone shall burn the sons and daughters of dust._

 _Sword in hand, he shall raze the lands to the ground. Warriors will fall to his blade, no matter how strong they may be, they shall all fall._

Cinder desperately tried relighting the fire in her hand, but to no avail. She began to curse as the winds grew harsher and harsher.

"Argh!" she shouted as fire finally returned to her hands. She had to hide from these winds.

She stumbled her way to a cave opening. Reaching refuge in the form of the cave, Cinder was in the dark… _alone._

But she managed to relight the fire in her hands again. The walls were barren save for an inscription, written in crudely.

 _Warriors of silver, wizards and witches, maidens, martyrs, and ronins will all fall._

 _The knight of fire will bring forth the first night. None will survive. For he is the first Knight of the Grimm. He shall bring forth a world on fire._

 _The world will shatter like the moon of old when they ride._

Cinder moved away from the inscription and edged toward further into the cave. When would this dream end?

It had gone on far enough. She wanted to wake up and be with Ruby right now.

At the end of the cave, she saw her. White skin, inhuman eyes, and the gut-wrenching feeling in her gut.

A single word escaped her lips before Cinder woke up.

" _Salem."_

* * *

Ruby collapsed from exhaustion.

"Ruby, you know this hurts me as much as you." Cinder's tone was genuine but that didn't help the aching.

"I don't know about that, Cinder." Cinder almost seemed hurt at that comment.

Ruby often switched calling Cinder her name and mom interchangeably. Both of them held the same effect for her. Both carried equal weight for her affection and love for her new mother. Although, she was beginning to call Cinder 'mom' more often.

"You know, you were doing so well now. We talked, you were getting better at training. What's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Cinder," Ruby muttered.

"No, I'm sorry for making you pushups for nearly an hour but I do this because I love you. The world's a cruel place. And I don't anything to happen to you."

"It's just sometimes I don't think I will be strong as you."

"Oh, Ruby come here."

Cinder got onto Ruby's level and outstretched her arms. Ruby crawled over into Cinder's arm. She was too exhausted to even get up.

"Ruby… it's fine. Nobody is naturally _just_ strong. We all have potential to be strong. And let me tell you something, you've got great potential. Although, you already know that… just like you know I will always love you," Cinder said as she brushed Ruby's hair away from her face.

"But that's not what I want to tell you. Do you like fairy tales?" Cinder asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Alright, let me tell you a small story. _Once upon a time, there was a girl._ _A girl that knew nothing about the cruel, cruel world._ _However…_ _something happened that shattered that girl's naivety. She began to see this horrid world for what it is,"_ Cinder said before pausing. "Of course, there's you. A small light in this dark world but you weren't around then. But you're here now with me."

Ruby smiled as Cinder ruffled the girl's hair. _"_ _It seemed like the whole world went wrong. People couldn't be trusted, the Grimm were on the rise, and her trust and faith was gone._ _Through many hardships, she learned that she needed power to make things better._ _Because it seemed like the people in power didn't do anything but ensure to help themselves._ _It was almost like they wanted to keep this cruel world._ _If she wanted to change the world, she needed something to do so._ _Power._ _The girl wanted to be strong._ _She needed to be strong_ _to fight those that would hurt her._ _The girl wanted to be feared._ _She needed to be feared, so that nobody would dare challenge her._ _The girl wanted to be powerful._ _She needed power to change the world._ _Because_ _i_ _f she wasn't, then the world consume her."_

Ruby hugged Cinder tight. "I'll try harder, Cinder. I promise."

"You don't need to promise me anything, Ruby. You're going to be one of the strongest, I know it. Now c'mere!" Cinder lifted up Ruby and began waltzing around with Ruby in her arms. They danced in the empty warehouse as Ruby began laughing and Cinder started laughing with her shortly after.

* * *

She stood in front of the vending machine, contemplating what to do. Ruby's uncle was obviously getting desperate. He was desperate enough to issue a reward to anyone who has seen Ruby. Luckily nobody has truly seen her. Yet this makes things more difficult. She might have to change Ruby's appearance.

She could always cut and dye Ruby's hair but Ruby's bright silver eyes are a dead giveaway. She doubts the girl will be comfortable wearing contacts. At any rate, Ruby can't be seen in public, otherwise some weasel will try to bag the reward money and take her daughter away from her. And then she will be thrown in a prison, or a gulag depending if they discover she has semblance. Then Ruby will gone forever, taken to be brainwashed into a huntress, while she rots in jail. _She won't let anyone shatter the bond between her and Ruby._

She sighed. What was she going to do? She can't hide out in the hotel indefinitely, she will eventually need to move to a new base of operations. She doesn't want to risk losing Ruby to that bastard. But she didn't know what to do. She spent years planning, training to enact her vengeance. She had all the time to prepare for that, even with current setbacks, she can always push back her vengeance.

She clearly wasn't completely ready for her revenge, yet she had all the time to get ready for the next time. But this was different. Time was not on her side. She was clueless on what to do next. She had no time to prepare. And at any moment, some idiot on the street will out the two of them if they even step a foot outside. She wanted help, but throughout her life nobody has helped her, so she expects that nobody will help her.

She wanted advice, someone to reassure her, to tell her how to keep Ruby away from _him._ Yet she is pessimistic. Nobody has helped her. Nobody has even reassured her that things would get better throughout this _shit_ life. She shoved the vending machine in frustration.

"Something wrong?" a familiar shrill voice asked. She turned to see the attendant from last night. Last night, she was too exhausted and worried to actually see the generous attendant. It's strange, she's expecting there to be a catch. She eyed the attendant carefully.

Nothing but a tired older woman with black hair beginning to fade into grey. Probably overworked and stressed out. Her instincts told her she wasn't a threat, but she was still paranoid.

"I... It's… nothing." The older woman gave her a look before saying, "You know I didn't catch your name last night."

"It's Cinder… Cinder Fall."

"Terri Bones." Terri held out her hand. Cinder looked at it for a moment carefully before shaking it.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" Terri asked once more.

Cinder looked at her. Why did she keep pushing? Is there some ulterior motive or was she one of the few decent scraps of humanity? Cinder took a big sigh and contemplated if she even continue talking. There was a brief silence before Terri broke it.

"Look, I'm sorry if I seem pushy, but I could tell something's wrong."

"It's a bit much at times." Cinder nearly blurted out.

he mentally scolded herself. She had to play this close to the chest, this type of slip up would get her killed.

"Ah yes. The joy of raising a kid by yourself. I suppose your partner is a complete dickhead too."

Well, she didn't Qrow personally or Ruby's actual father, but… yes they are… for trying to take _her_ daughter away.

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about it too much. Raising them makes it all worth it." Cinder couldn't help but smile.

"See, you're already smiling. Can't be too bad," Terri reassured Cinder. Cinder recomposed herself, can't smile for too long in front of a stranger.

"I suppose so."

"Hey, maybe our daughters could meet," Terri suggested.

 _NO!_ _No. No._ Calm and control. She didn't need to blurt out her anger and fear and paranoia. If this woman kept pushing, _she w_ _ould_ _get rid of her._

"I'll… think about it."

"Alright, I'll let you think about it. But I'm sure Coral would enjoy the company."

"I'll think about it," Cinder repeated.

She picked up the cheap food from the vending machine and went back into the room. Ruby rushed out of the bathroom with a smile. She went up to Cinder, hopping up and down.

"Cinder! Cinder! Look!" She beamed at Cinder… with amber eyes, _her eyes._

"Isn't that cool?!"

Cinder gulped and gave a smile.

"It sure is." She was panicking. Something must have happened. And she didn't know what happened. This uncertainty frightened her. She had to think this through. What could have caused this? Would there be any negative repercussions?

 _Would Ruby be alright?_

Think think think! The only moment she could think of that could possibly caused this was when she transferred her aura to heal Ruby.

Aura transferring was an uncommon practice, only skilled aura users could pull it off. Even then, it was finite skill that would eventually fade away with age. She had no idea if the eyes was just a harmless side-effect or a warning of something worse to come. She picked up Ruby and hugged her.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked.

"Never better," Ruby replied with a happy tone. She set Ruby down.

"If you don't feel well or anything, _tell me._ "

Ruby tilted her head, not understanding Cinder's concern.

"Okay? But isn't it cool?" Ruby asked again. Cinder looked into those amber eyes. The innocent glean in those eyes was still there.

"Of course," she smiled. She sat back onto the bed while Ruby went back to watching cartoons. If there is one good thing that _could_ come out of this was the fact that Ruby might not be identified at first glance.

Those damn… those adorable silver eyes would be the undoing of them. Silver eyes were a very uncommon trait. Still, this could work. She felt Ruby's hand tugging on her dress.

"Cinder… I don't feel... so well."

 _Thud._

She turned around and found Ruby twitching and convulsing.

" _Ruby!"_

* * *

 _ **Next Chapter: Thorns**_


	11. Thorns

Chapter 11: Thorns

* * *

The world slowed down to a crawl as Cinder watched Ruby crumbled onto the floor. The mind was a fickle thing. Her mind simply couldn't process what was transpiring. Cinder had all the time to contemplate as she slowly scrambled to Ruby. Her mind went blank and latched onto a different train of thought, as if her mind couldn't comprehend what was going on.

How did Cinder ever get in this position? All the planning and training, yet she found herself being a mother to Ruby.

 _She_ said Cinder wasn't ready, and maybe that was true. Cinder couldn't fully detach herself from her emotions. She was only human after all and she was subjected to the turmoil that emotions brought. It wasn't all bad, she had Ruby after all.

But they were only together because of Cinder's selfishness. She originally thought Ruby as a weapon, but now Ruby was hers. Yet, it was still born out of a self-serving desire.

Ruby was a way to channel those hapless emotions away, but that was only a half-truth. She found herself _loving_ Ruby as her own. Emotions- a double-edged sword for all. Now Ruby was in her circle of selfish desires and wants.

 _Ruby was hers._ Ruby had a weak connection to her past life but Cinder continued to drive the wedge. She still had an unshakable desire for a mother. And Cinder filled that role.

Cinder and Ruby were similar in that regard. They had an unbreakable belief. Cinder merely replaced that idea of a mother for Ruby, while Ruby became a vessel to channel what love she could give.

It was a very… _unhealthy_ basis for this type of relationship. Ruby was taken away from her real family- no matter how shitty it was- they were still her family but Ruby was hers. Was blood really thicker than water?

Yet all of that didn't matter, Cinder was happy and Ruby was happy. It was funny now. Ruby's happiness was _her_ happiness. It was funny on how Cinder could be filled with such malice, but love someone so unconditionally.

Emotions- a double-edged sword. Every moment of happiness might potentially marred by _moments_ like these.

 _Cinder was fucked up…_ but that didn't matter. She… _they_ were happy.

Time sped up for Cinder and she rushed over to Ruby. Cinder had no idea what was going on with Ruby. It scared the life out of Cinder.

She picked up Ruby and begun pacing toward the door before pacing back to the bed. She couldn't go the hospital, as it brought forth a whole slew of problems. Anyone could ID Ruby and bring that damn Qrow to them.

Who knew how Ruby would react? Perhaps blood was thicker than water. Ruby had spent eight years of her life with her… real family, and only so much weeks with Cinder. No doubt, with prodding from this Qrow combined with old memories, Cinder was going to lose something precious _again._

Besides the much cherished… ' _emotional'_ connection, she had given Ruby her secrets. Even so her mission in Vale was a failure.

Cinder had to ignore that and focus on the _now._

And she was completely lost- scared on what to do next. The only indicator that something went wrong was Ruby's eyes. Eyes could change due to age, semblance… or aura.

 _Oh hell._

This was probably her fault… but why would it have such a volatile reaction? What was different for Ruby?

What was so special about Ruby's… _silver…_ eyes… that had to be it. How many people had silver eyes?

Whatever the case, all Cinder could do was hold Ruby and contemplate.

Ruby's breathing was slowing down… _fuck it!_

Damn it all, Cinder was taking Ruby to the hospital.

Cinder made her way to the door before Ruby opened her eyes. Silver sparks began sputtering out of her eyes and before Cinder could even react… streams of silver light shot out and engulfed the room.

As her vision blurred, every part of Cinder recoiled away. It was as though the silver light burnt her very being and amidst her blindness, she saw _something._

Amongst the bright silver and the ringing in her ears, several other lights of varying colors revealed themselves in the distance. They were like stars… but they weren't actually stars. They were pieces long forgotten. Once part of something greater, now broken. There was only the remnants of what once was.

As Cinder bore into those stars, she began to feel adrift. She was losing her sense of self and Ruby was fading away from her arms.

That snapped Cinder out of the thoughtful daze. Everything she saw was now disappearing from her memory, but that didn't matter.

Cinder needed to stop whatever this was. While she couldn't see anything, she could still feel Ruby slowly leaving her arms.

She was running out options, Ruby was drifting away and it felt as though her soul was on fire. Anytime she tried moving any part of her body, it felt futile and pointless. The only thing she could possibly she could do was… _her semblance._

Streaks of orange shot out from her, and began replacing the bright silver void. Cinder did her best to avoid hitting Ruby, but in the end… the flames consumed them both.

When Cinder came to, she was holding Ruby in her arms. Her eyes struggled to adjust, and soon she was greeted by the same cramped and dirty motel room. The whole event had Cinder unnerved. What had happened?

Was it all a dream?

Cinder knew it wasn't a dream. It was all too real and unlike the dreams that haunted her, there was a certain sense of reality attached to it.

Ruby began to stir and Cinder didn't know what to do. Clearly, she couldn't just ignore the events that just transpired, but what about Ruby?

What caused Ruby to do that?

Clearly it wasn't Ruby's semblance, but… what? The only thing that Cinder could come up with was Ruby's _silver_ eyes.

Eye color could change for a variety of reasons: age, semblance, and even… aura. Hell, some rich upper-class people would pay top bill for a _permanent_ cosmetic change like that. But what would invoke such a negative reaction?

There was something special about Ruby's silver eyes. Cinder had to ask _her_ about it, the next time they met.

Ruby opened her eyes and Cinder briefly winced, remembering the pain that the silver lights wrought upon her.

Cinder's eyes met Ruby's eyes again. This time, there was a lone silver eye standing side by side with a fiery amber eye.

"What happened?" Ruby asked while rubbing her eyes. Ruby looked up at Cinder and kept squinting.

Cinder took a deep breath. This was a mystery that Ruby didn't to know yet. Until Cinder knew what it was, she was going to keep Ruby in the dark. It would be dangerous for Ruby. It was an unknown power and it could prove disastrous for the both of them.

"Nothing happened, sweetie. You just bumped your head," Cinder said with a half-smile.

"Are you sure? My head hurts. And so do my eyes."

Cinder scrunched up her face. She hated not knowing things. As soon as she could figure out what was wrong, she'd tell Ruby.

But not right now.

"How… about I get you something special?" Cinder asked.

"A present?! What is it? What is it?"

"It's a surprise. Now how about you do some aura meditation while I prepare it?"

Ruby quickly hopped onto the floor and sat down with her legs closed. Cinder could no longer see her eyes.

"No peaking, Ruby."

"Awwwwwww. Pwetty please?" Ruby asked in a deliberate cutesy tone.

"That won't work this time."

Ruby muttered her disappointment as Cinder went into the bathroom with the duffel bag.

She began to unload everything out. There was only a few canisters of fire and glass Dust left. Those were needed for the heist, as were the old Dust-infused clothes she had. Her Dust clothes still had some juice to them. She was on her last legs with her supplies. Sometimes she wished that raw Dust could be a bit more like artificial Dust. Despite it's weakness, creating artificial Dust increased the amount and made it more streamlined.

Picking up one of the canisters, she examined it. It was the glass Dust. Contrary to the ignorant masses, creating different and secondary Dust types wasn't the same as artificial Dust. Whereas regular and secondary Dust was actual crystals, artificial Dust was an actual powder. Although, there could be artificial secondary Dust.

But she didn't need the glass Dust, she needed _fire_ Dust. Ruby's little stunt made her uneasy. It was another reminder that something could happen to Ruby. Besides, she had been meaning to do this ever since she got to the motel.

She plopped the canister down and rummaged through Ruby's old clothes. Fishing out Ruby's torn and blood-stained cloak. Several dark shades of red had marked numerous points all over the cloak. Ruby loved this cloak but Cinder felt it was another connection to Ruby's old life.

Cinder needed to cut that connection away. She had spent too long reenforcing the idea that she was Ruby's _only_ family now.

But that was only one of the reasons. Besides protection, -she would never admit to this outloud- Ruby's smiling face would be worth it. She laid the cloak onto the bathroom floor.

Then she emptied the canister, dropping pieces of the crystal onto the cloak. Dust sewing was a skill that took a long time to master. It took intuition and skill to weave Dust. Raw Dust was finicky, and sowing them into clothing was difficult. Each piece of Dust weaved only effected a certain area and if they overlapped, the entire thing could combusted.

While there was no doubt Ruby's aura would protect her, Cinder didn't need Ruby to watch her favorite cloak burning before her eyes.

The actual sowing was the hardest part. She needed to cut a small hole into the crystal before sowing it on. It was dangerous as Dust was so volatile. One mistake and there would be some questions on why the bathroom was burnt to a crisp.

After a few minutes of hard labor, she lifted up the cloak to admire her handiwork. The torn cloak was now studded with tiny red pieces of Dust. It glinted marvelously in the dim bathroom light. Now came the easy part, she channeled her aura to the Dust, willing it to fuse to the cloth.

A small red light washed over the cloak, making it into something new. The blood was gone and the patches were non-existent. It was a small side effect but it worked to Cinder's favor.

While it would eventually need some maintenance, Cinder had infused enough Dust to last a long time. Eventually, Cinder wanted to teach Ruby how to sow her own cloak.

But until then, this would have to do.

She hid the cloak behind her back before putting her hand to the handle. She heard a small ' _wooshing'_ sound. Opening the door, she found Ruby still meditating.

Glancing down at the floor revealed tiny rose petals leading to Ruby.

"Ruby, were you spying on me?" Cinder asked with fake ignorance.

"Nope!" Ruby asked.

"Are you sure?" Cinder asked again. "I'm pretty sure I heard something."

"You… you did?"

"Maybe if someone confessed, I wouldn't punish them. So..."

"Okay. I did spy on you," Ruby said quietly. Both of her eyes conveyed a heavy sense of guilt.

"Don't worry, you still get your surprise."

"Really?" Her eyes widened.

Cinder held out the new cloak before Ruby. Ruby instantly sped up to Cinder and took the cloak.

"You fixed it?"

"Even better. Try it on."

Ruby put on the cloak and spun around.

"Try activating your aura with it," Cinder encouraged.

Ruby stopped spinning around and used her semblance to run around the room. Amongst the flying rose petals was a trail of fire.

Ruby stopped and like a cute dog tried chasing her cloak. "So cool!"

"Consider it an early present. But just so you know, the more aura you put into it, the greater the effect."

"Thank you, thank you!" Ruby hugged Cinder tight. Cinder noted that the curtain was on fire but that didn't take precedent. _This did._

"Anything for you my gem," Cinder whispered to Ruby.

* * *

Ruby held Cinder's hand as they walked to one of the rooms. Cinder had told Ruby in confidence that she was going to go on a ' _heist'_ with her ' _acquaintances'_ _._

Unfortunately, despite all of Ruby's begging, Cinder forbade her from coming along. Even so, Ruby could see that Cinder was uneasy with leaving Ruby.

She had found a babysitter in the form of the owner of the motel. Terri Bones had her own kid, and Ruby was a little nervous.

Despite her finally breaking out of her ' _rut',_ she didn't want to break down. Ruby remembered all the bad times at school. But Cinder had assured her that Ruby would be fine and that she was strong. And if anything happened to her, then _there would be hell to pay._

That gave Ruby some comfort.

Cinder had gave Ruby some rules. _Absolutely_ no aura or semblance. Ruby didn't have to use the aura-hiding trick unless it was absolutely necessary. Then there was the rule that Ruby couldn't tell them anything about them.

Nothing about her… ' _former'_ life. As far as she was concerned, Cinder was her only mother. Which was true, Cinder was there for her. She never left her. And the rest of her family probably hated her. Cinder was the only one she could trust.

Cinder told Ruby that she needed to disguise herself. Ruby found it kinda fun to disguise herself. Even if the contact did hurt a bit. She had to cover her left silver eye with a contact. She had some trouble putting it in but Cinder helped her.

So, Cinder said she was ready. Ruby felt the small pocket knife in her shoe. _'A reasonable precaution'._ Ruby liked the knife. It was fast, sharp, and covert. She didn't feel safe without a weapon ever since… that man. Maybe killing him was good.

Ruby squeezed Cinder's hand.

Terri Bones lived in the motel, as Cinder described her too poor to afford anything else. Still, Cinder wouldn't normally let Ruby stay with someone like _them_ , but circumstances dictated it.

Cinder knocked on the door and Terri opened the door. Her room was significantly more cleaner than their motel room. It wasn't exactly a motel room, but more like a miniature apartment situated nearby. Ruby was slightly jealous and pouted slightly. If Cinder had any displeasure, she didn't show it.

Terri greeted them, "So this is your kid? It's nice to finally meet you."

She knelt down and held out her hand. Ruby turned to Cinder who nodded her head.

Ruby shook her hand. "I'm Ruby!"

"Hey, Ruby! I'm sure you'll have a good time," Terri said before she got up. "Don't worry, Cinder. She'll be fine."

"I know. But I don't like having my trust broken. So, just keep that in mind. I'd hate to see the consequences of someone else's inadequacy."

"Over-bearing much?" Terri joked, but there was something uneasy in her tone. "But don't worry, the kids are probably watch cartoons or play a board game. Do what you need to do. But is it a date?"

Cinder chuckled grimly. "Something like that. I will be back in three hours or so." She turned to face Ruby.

"Don't worry, my gem. I'll be back before you know it," Cinder directed her smile _only_ to Ruby which Ruby reciprocated.

Ruby gently let go of Cinder's hand as she went away.

Terri led her into the motel room where she found a girl roughly her age watching the holo-screen. She had dark blue hair that barely went to her neck. Covering her hair was a dark captain's cap. Coral was wearing a bright orange jacket that grabbed everyone's attention.

"Coral! Why don't you introduce yourself?"

The girl- Coral- turned off the holo-screen and practically hopped over to Ruby.

Terri whispered, "She's a bit eccentric but that's part of her charm."

"Hi! What's your name?" Coral asked.

"Ruby Fall," she replied.

"Cool! Do you wanna play a board game?"

"I'll leave you two girls alone," Terri said as she went into another room.

Coral pulled out a dusty old board game and plopped it onto the floor.

"It's called Grimm-Land!"

Ruby tilted her head. Her last encounter with the Grimm… brought unpleasant memories to say the least.

"How do you play?" Ruby asked while gulping.

"Oh, it's simple!" Coral unboxed the game and set down the board. There was four quadrants on the board. One had the woods, with illustrations of _beowolves_ among the trees. Ruby redirected her gaze onto the illustration of the sea. There was a storm brewing, darkening the board as waves were raging with massive Grimm that resembled killer whales. Then there was the sky, free and boundless… but focusing her gaze on the rest, she saw a tornado of Nevermores swirling. The final two quadrants showcased a desert biome with gigantic Grimm worms bursting from the sand and a blizzard with red eyes amidst the blaring whiteness.

Coral seemed totally enthralled with this. Clearly, she had never seen a Grimm up close before. They were not to be trifled with. But Ruby couldn't blame her. She was like Coral, entranced by _their_ stories about the Grimm. Until she had seen the truth.

"Basically, you follow the path to the end," Coral said as she traced her finger along the twisting and curving path going through the four quadrants. The path was cut up into several squares, some blue and some red. "Land on the blue, you're good to go. Land on the red, you're no go. You get to battle the Grimm!"

She took out two decks of cards. One was dark black and the other, a dazzling white. Coral gave Ruby ten of the white cards.

"These are your battle cards. Use them to battle the dastardly Grimm!" Coral gestured to the black cards.

"Seems interesting."

They played the game and Ruby found the game intriguing. Battling Grimm required you to roll dice and get a certain number in order to draw a battle card lest she wanted to get sent back several spaces back.

Coral really seemed more into the game when she was in the sea quadrant.

"The game that interesting?" Ruby asked.

"It is, I mean huntsmen and huntresses and Grimm are always interesting," Coral said as Ruby snorted. Cinder told her that all of this was propaganda.

" _But,"_ Coral interjected. "Traveling the sea is something I always wanted to do. Imagine it. Sailing the high seas, looking for treasure and fighting the occasional Grimm that dare layteth a hand on my ship." Coral tipped her hat while she said that.

"Don't… don't huntsmen watch over the boats?" Ruby asked. It was a huntsmen job to escort boats over the more dangerous waters.

"Pfft. When I'm captain, I won't need any huntsmen or huntresses. Just me and my crew. Maybe you should be part of it, you could be the lookout with those sharp eyes of yours."

Ruby laughed. "Maybe. Sounds cool."

"You bet. I'd get out of this place and sail the high seas. What about you?"

Ruby tilted her head, debating on what to say. "Get… in the family business with my mom?"

Coral frowned and whispered, "I can't stand my mom. She's nice and all but… you ever feel a connection to someone else?"

Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, well I feel that with my old step-dad ever since he took me on one his voyages. It was amazing! I feel closer to him than my real dad. Is that weird?"

Ruby could relate to her more than she knew. "No... I understand… but what about your other dad?"

Coral shrugged. "I don't hate him. I use to, but he didn't hate me. Life is too short for that. Love who you want to love. But let's continue with the game."

It was nice playing this game. It was a nice break, a sort of carefree feeling that she needed. Ruby wondered how Cinder was faring with her ' _acquaintances_ _'._

* * *

Roman considered himself many things. A thief, a liar, and the occasional killer.

But right now, he considered himself short-handed for the heist. It was just him and Neo. Sending Felix to Cinder had backfired immensely. Damn his greed.

Felix was dead and Cinder was nowhere to be found. That left two options. Either they both died or Cinder was off somewhere.

Although, he wondered if she was out there. She knew where he was… but maybe she was recuperating?

Whatever the case, he had to move forward. Professionalism demanded it anyhow. Being a career criminal meant being able to roll with the punches.

He had spent too long planning this out.

It was an opportunity of a lifetime. Someone hired him to steal secrets. At first, Roman didn't know if it was a real job or not.

An underground complex owned by the Schnee Dust Company? There had been stranger things though.

He looked over the documents that his employer gave him. The complex was about five stpries deep and the whole thing was a giant metal cage. Removing the files would no doubt box them in. And if they really fucked up, it was rigged to blow. He wished that he had Felix or Cinder available. They could work great as demolition. And the explosions would be muffled. The place was disguised as convenience store, hidden down below.

Now, the research was most likely stored in offline terminal. Looking over the reports, it was a specially-locked file.

Copying the file was out of the cards. Doing so would delete the files, leaving them with nothing. He'd like to keep his options open.

Speaking of which, he had to figure out how to do this heist with just himself and Neo.

He'd preferably to this one loud and quick.

Not that he was incapable of being stealthy, but what was the point of it when his fabulous mug was plastered all over the wanted posters.

It could be worse, if his trump card was out of the bag, he would have been shot up the wanted lists.

He flipped the notes again. The facility drew power from the kingdom itself but had an offline Dust generator. If power was no restored in forty minutes, data is deleted and boom. Bum-rushing this would be only slightly better.

This was giving him a headache.

Then there was a series of knocks on the door. Each with a small pause between each one. One second, three, six, and finally five. A simple code. Roman sighed in relief and opened the door.

It was Neo. She gave a smirk and walked in with some fast-food. They had staked out in an apartment right across the complex.

She plopped down the food. Neo tilted her head at the food.

Roman shook his head. "I'll eat when I figure out how we're doing this heist."

Neo shrugged and began to engage in some very twisting stretches. He didn't know legs could bend that way.

Roman found her to be amusing. She was loyal to a fault. It was a little game of his to muddle their back stories and working relationship.

Most of the time, he'd tell lies and occasionally truths. It was a good tactic to throw people off their tracks, as information was power. And it was fun.

He was busy coming up with the next convoluted lie. What was already out there about them?

Adopted daughter, birth daughter, sister, wife, girlfriend, apprentice, hired help, an orphan?

 _Oh!_ What about a girl raised in the wild that he domesticated?

Nah, Neo wouldn't like that. She liked teasing people but being the butt of the joke? He'd probably ' _fall'_ down the stairs if he told that.

And she'd do it all without a word. Her silence was by choice. Or maybe it wasn't. Roman liked keeping his cards close to his chest.

Eventually after an eternity of going over notes again and again, he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Neo gestured over to the food, now growing colder by the minute.

"Neo, dear, I'm working."

She didn't say anything, instead she produced a cheeseburger, almost out of thin air. To the untrained eye, it would be almost like magic… or a semblance, but really it was just sleight of hand.

Roman opened his mouth to protest but Neo shoved it into his open mouth. After briefly choking, he began chewing the food.

He mumbled his displeasure while Neo gave a smile.

"Fine, fine, I'll take a break."

He sat down at the small table with Neo.

She slid a bottle of beer to Roman before munching on the fries.

He may be a criminal, but little moments like these were bliss. Of course, lavishly spending their ill-gotten goods was even better.

But yeah, he still loved these moments.

He began to muse about the bad atmosphere about this heist.

Roman wondered if the employer tried screwing them over?

The fact that there was a rival heisting crew that tried doing the same job as them meant something suspicious was going on.

The Fake AH crew might have been dealt with but the fact that they knew where his storage unit was concerning.

Good thing that he managed to rope Cinder into dealing with them. Those bumbling fools were no match for a direct confrontation. They were suited for stealth, but Roman couldn't be bothered to deal with them. Criminal master-minding required his complete attention. Having someone like Cinder on his side was nice.

Neo, for all her skill, was required elsewhere. The city's power wasn't going to sabotage itself. Maybe it was a bad idea to send Felix after Cinder. But hey, if he succeeded, Roman wouldn't had to pay Cinder. Favors were a blessing.

He took a sip of the beer as he began to recall meeting Cinder.

 _Roman waited by the docks, as a fine mist began rolling in from the sea. The docks was something of a safe haven for criminals, both big and small._

 _Neo- of course- was lying in wait. She was backup in-case this 'Cinder' was a problem. For all they knew, it could have been a sting operation._

 _He hated overzealous huntsmen and huntresses._

 _Roman could hear methodical tapping in the background. Neo was getting bored. Roman had a small worry that she would bugger off and murder a bum to kill in order to pass the time._

 _Before he could tap his cane on the floor to deter Neo from those thoughts, a figure silently appeared next to him._

 _Roman jumped slightly before saying, "How long did you spent working on that entrance? I gotta say… it's a six out of ten at best."_

 _He turned his head to analyze the figure. She wore a red dress with high heels. The only out of place item was a black domino mask. He could see fiery amber eyes staring at him._

 _Seemed like she wanted to keep her identity a secret. Perhaps Cinder was an alias. Roman used to worry about such things, but he had secured a very lofty reputation as a criminal. Besides who didn't like seeing his gorgeous mug? Neo on a bad day maybe._

 _Cinder ignored his earlier comment and asked, "Torchwick, yes?"_

" _The one and only. But please, call me Roman."_

" _Torchwick, would you mind filling me on the details or not?" she asked._

" _I'll keep it brief. The actual details come before the actual heist."_

 _One didn't simply give out important details out for free. For all he knew, Cinder could spread those secrets away._

" _I'd prefer you tell me now."_

" _I'd prefer a lot of things. But we're going to be doing things my way. Are you in or out?"_

 _He could tell that Cinder was a bit miffed about this. Still, she conceded nevertheless and hid her disdain quite well._

" _So, tell me what I need to know."_

 _Roman gave her the bare-minimum of the operation, things about what they were robbing and how their employer would pay them and how they would split the money. Cinder was like him, barely explaining the extent of her abilities._

 _Roman could still use her as some muscle and even as a demolition expert. He could see small signs that Cinder hated this. She had not mastered the fine art of adopting a facade. But, she was well on her way to mastering such an art. Even now, the small cracks in her mask were being sealed up. They all had to start somewhere._

 _Neo let out a small tap, telling Roman to hurry it up. Cinder immediately spun around, a black bow- Dust most likely- formed in her hands. In one quick motion, she fired an arrow at Neo's hiding place._

 _Glass shattered- a small breath of relief-, as the arrow exploded on impact._

" _What are you doing?!" Roman grabbed Cinder by the shoulders._

" _Being watched," Cinder replied cooly._

" _That's my partner, you imbecile!"_

 _Cinder shrugged. Neo popped up amongst the ruin and threw a knife at Cinder. She side-stepped the thrown knife and turned to Roman._

" _Are we going to do this the hard way? Because, I could find another way to make lien and nobody would care for your scattered ashes."_

" _Stand down, Neo," he called out._

 _Neo stuck out her tongue. Roman couldn't tell if it was meant for him or for Cinder._

Roman chuckled.

The heist was starting soon. About in an hour or so. When the power ran out, they would have only forty-five minutes to break in and steal the company secrets.

"You ready for this, Neo?" he asked.

She chomped on the fries loudly, almost out of excitement.

"Alright, get ready."

Neo swallowed the fries and took out her umbrella. It was all she needed. A small pink light moved up from her toes up to her neck. Her usual attire changed into one of the mercenary outfits. Her multi-colored hair transformed into a dark brown.

Roman set down a ski-mask onto the table. Due to the more… ' _corporate'_ nature of this, it was likely that the company would hire a mercenary or a hunter on them.

Plausible deniability.

There was a single knock on the door, breaking the silence. Neo disappeared and hid in plain sight. She was his backup. Her semblance was strong and more willing to use it openly.

He grabbed his cane and stalked toward the door. Melodic Cudgel was a pretty effective weapon. Aura could make any personal weapon dangerous. This wasn't even mentioning the modifications he made.

Roman twirled the cane and hid it behind his back.

Opening the door, he found a stranger dressed in a black sleeveless jacket with canisters attached to her black pants.

Roman knew it was Cinder and felt his grip tightened on his cane. He had no idea what her intentions were.

"I see you changed your mask," he commented. It was different from the last time they met. It bore a similar resemblance to those Strangerhood masks, except it was colored black.

"Were you expecting someone else? Now are you going to let me in or not?" Cinder asked.

Roman outstretched his hand and said, "Come in! Come in! I was just preparing."

Cinder walked in and went straight for the notes on the table. Roman had his suspicions but he would cross that bridge when it came down to it.

"Interesting. The SDC? I assume that little minx of yours is going to scout ahead, I'm the muscle, and you're taking lead?" Her tone had a smug tone out of it. A sort of know-it-all tone. It did not help with his suspicions.

Roman tapped his cane five times with a seven second interval. It held two messages, one for now and one for later.

Neo popped out of plain sight and gave Cinder a playful glare. Roman popped on his ski mask.

"So, who's ready for a little mass-murder and thievery?" Roman asked as he put his hat on.

* * *

Cinder waited outside the convenience store with the pair of criminals.

Then she heard it. The lights down the street began shutting off, quickly making its way to them. They were engulfed in darkness, but aura gave potential to hone their instincts higher than anyone else.

They had a limited time frame with the emergency power.

Entering the store, they found the cashier struggling to pull out something from under the counter. A gun, no doubt.

Luckily, Neo was quick and nimble.

Hopping over the counter, Neo slit the man's throat.

Roman made a low whistle and Neo pocketed the money from the cash register.

 _Petty criminals._

Neo led the way to the backroom. A steel door stood tall in the very back.

"If you would, dearie."

Cinder ignored him. Everything would be over soon.

Placing her hands on the door, a small explosion shook the door and it collapsed off the door. Beams of light shone through. Cinder got a glimpse of a dark hallway with two guards aiming their gun.

Cinder formed her bow but Neo pushed past her and opened her umbrella.

Gunfire erupted but Neo's umbrella blocked the bullets. Cinder took the opportunity and fired two arrows into the guards.

Their aura was weak and she was strong. Their auras shattered and Neo was already stabbing them with a blade from the tip of her umbrella. The little psychopath was smiling as the men screamed. Cinder ignored that and began taking note of the dark hallway. Cinder was the only source of light as her clothes emitted an orange glow.

The two guards were protecting an elevator at the end of the hallway.

Neo glanced up from the pair of dead bodies, blood splattered over her face. Getting up, Neo wiped the blood off her face.

On the elevator door, she used the blood to draw a question mark.

"We'll cut the cables. Come on, Neo. You should know this."

Neo, annoyed, tapped the elevator door two times.

"Oh, we'll just use Melodic Cudgel to grapple back up-"

Neo almost furiously knocked on the door again.

"Oh!" Roman turned to Cinder. "I don't suppose you could fly?"

Cinder couldn't help but snort. That would take it almost unhealthy amount of Dust to fly even then the stress would probably blow her heart out. No matter how strong one's aura was, it wouldn't help. Although, there was fairy tales about magic and Dust but Cinder dismissed that. Fairy tales were for children.

Speaking of which, maybe with the lien she could buy some books for Ruby.

" _I'll_ cross the bridge when it comes."

Roman nodded and used the handle of the cane to pry the elevator door open.

They entered the elevator and Neo forced opened the emergency door on top.

"Brace yourself."

Neo cut the cables and after a brief moment of free-fall, their aura held them together. Cinder looked up and saw Neo gently floating down with her umbrella.

She landed in the elevator gracefully.

"Alright, remember the plan. Neo, scout ahead. Remember the signals."

Neo rolled her eyes, clearly displaying her annoyance. This was not new ground for her.

"Cinder, you're with me. I know the way to the main terminal. Alright, _let's get this party started."_

Roman forced the doors open and Neo protected them from the gunfire. Roman lifted up his cane and a reticule popped out from the bottom.

Cinder saw the blaring red lights brief bathing the complex in red. Roman fired his cane and the explosion incinerated the guards.

Neo disappeared after a brief absence of the red light.

"Alright, we got a limited time frame. Neo will probably distract most of the guards."

Cinder followed Roman room after room, opening each door for him with small explosions. Occasionally, she had to cut down several guards with her swords. As they ran through the facility, she noted the environment. Some of them were offices, papers were burning and scientists hiding.

Others contained sealed off glass windows. She saw blue Dust and the words ' _Ice Fine'_. There was a growing patch of blue Dust crystals. They were spewing out literal blue dust, which in turn began growing more crystals.

Cinder wagered it was artificial Dust gone wrong. Trying to replicate the properties of raw Dust clearly went wrong.

The Dust looked unstable and Cinder wondered if she could use it. Then she saw a pig encased in blue Dust.

Perhaps not.

They entered a workshop of some sorts, and at first, Cinder thought it was a prosthetic workshop. Instead, they were metal skeletons forming pseudo-bodies.

Prosthetic were a budding new field. Only the most advanced prosthetics were used by the people in power. Generals, hunters, and the rich.

But this wasn't it.

It was an imitation of lie. And Cinder began to suspect the secrets they were going to steal. Roman stopped right in front of a giant metal door that loomed over them.

She sheathed her swords behind her back and rubbed her hands. A big explosion gave way to a brief ringing in their ears.

It was a big enough explosion to cause the ringing. Aura enhanced all of their bodily functions. She ignored the brief ringing and picked up swords. The door still stood and Cinder glared at it.

Roman laughed. "You forgot about the specialized vault cracker?"

Cinder huffed slightly.

He put the device onto the door and moments later, it creaked open.

Roman saw a big computer terminal and pumped his fist. " _Jackpot!"_

He began typing something at the terminal and plugged in his scroll. "Well, the download is going to take a while."

A giant spiked ball swung toward the terminal and Roman. Cinder hopped in front of it and batted it away with her swords.

Someone walked in as the ball began to retract to its handle.

The owner of the ball and chain swaggered entered her field of vision. He wore green gauntlets and a teal chest plate. Green kneepads covered his grey pants and Cinder bore into his light green eyes. A ragged, bald face greeted her coldly.

He was a drop-out. _Nova Pulp._ She made sure to keep track of any and all drop-outs. He was one of the newer ones, recently starting out in the mercenary trade. Although, he was all business… sorta like Felix's partner. She could respect that.

She had no doubt that she could take him. But she still had to be wary. Cinder finally began to see what _she_ meant about arrogance.

Cinder glanced at Roman who waved her off. She was on her own, which was fine by her.

Both Nova and Cinder charged at each other. Initial reports suggested that Nova's semblance was to create small pockets of explosions suspended in air.

His weapon- suspected name Blackhole Supernova- complimented his semblance quite well. From his the handle, he could channel his semblance through the chain and into the ball.

Cinder pushed Nova back with a strong swing. He almost tumbled onto the floor but he held his ground.

He began swinging the ball all over the room, creating small bright lights all over the room. He swung the ball at Cinder again. But he channeled most of his aura into that attack. Knocking Cinder into one of the balls of light. It immediately exploded, sending her flying into another pocket. She started bouncing all over the room.

Cinder finally slammed into the floor. Nova prepared to strike her down with the ball but she rolled out of the way. Her aura couldn't take much more.

Taking out a canister, she popped it open and swung it in front of her. Fragments were thrown out and suspended into the air. Her aura went into those fragments of glass Dust and shot out at Nova.

His weapon was too slow to block it and he stumbled. Cinder gave him no reprieve and charged. She kept swinging and swinging her swords. She kept close, as his weapon wasn't meant for close-quarters.

His aura shattered and she slashed his throat open. Her sword cut deep and his head barely stayed attached.

The body collapsed onto the floor.

Roman turned around, holding his scroll.

"Good news and bad news. We got it, but the place is going to blow in five."

Cinder rolled her eyes, a gesture that went unnoticed thanks to her mask. They rushed back to the elevator, quickly tracing their steps.

They found Neo waiting in the elevator, pretending to look at an invisible wrist-watch. They went into the elevator. Neo held onto Roman and he fired the handle like a grappling hook.

Roman and Neo zipped up five stories while Cinder pondered how she was going to make it. She climbed through the emergency door.

Channeling her tired aura, she jumped as high as she could and slammed her sword into the wall. Barely holding on, she climbed onto the blade of the sword. She had enough Dust left for two more Dust swords and for one bow.

Forming another one, she leapt up again and repeated the same process two times. The very last time, she managed to climb back into the small backroom of the convenience store.

Roman and Neo seemed surprised that she made it. Cinder eyed the scroll.

"Oh! You made it."

Nearly synchronized, they pointed their weapons at each other at the same time.

"A mutual betrayal," Cinder commented.

"Well, I guess we both needed each other for this heist. Although, I would have preferred Felix."

Cinder's hand trembled and in a low voice asked, "You sent Felix after me?"

Memories of Ruby flashed in her mind, there was no point for the mask- for the polite and controlled formalities. Her arrow began to glow.

"Well shit," Roman realized.

Neo, like a blur, ran to Cinder and kicked the bow out of her hands, but not before Cinder fired an arrow into the ceiling, briefly blindsiding them. Her bow was gone, fallen down the elevator shaft. Cinder grabbed Neo and slammed her into the wall, still blinded.

Roman aimed his cane at Cinder but she was quickly on him.

She twisted the cane out of his hands and swung the cane to the back of Roman's legs, forcing him onto his knees.

Cinder pointed his cane at the recovering Neo, whose eyes began to flicker into different colors. She kept pressing the trigger again and _again._

Several of Roman's explosive shots engulfed the little psychopath. The explosive blasts were powerful enough to shatter Neo's aura after the second shot but Cinder didn't stop until the cane ran out of ammo.

The rage was more controlled now. Easier to control- to point and let loose. Neo was still alive, but her body was bruised and burnt.

Cinder could see traces of faded scars on the ruined skin. Her clothing probably gave her a good amount of protection. She wasn't as badly burnt as Cinder hoped. Given enough time, there would be no burn scars as aura would have healed it eventually.

Roman was crying out Neo's name but Cinder silenced him by smacking him the face with his cane. He fell onto his back.

She placed her heel onto Roman's throat. Cinder applied pressure before kicking him several times in the gut. His aura shattered.

Cinder almost wanted to taunt the man but she held her tongue.

She snapped the cane in half and grabbed Roman by the head. There was a loud explosion echoed beneath them. The lives that were trapped there were worthless, just like Roman.

But then she began to hear sirens in the distance.

"Listen…" Cinder regain her composure. " _Listen here,_ I hate having my trust broken. Now, there is a small chance of redemption for you."

"Go… go.. fuck yourself."

Cinder chuckled before slamming his head into the floor.

"Now, I need you to be a distraction for the cops," Cinder took Roman's scroll. "If you do this… _I won't kill you._ Hell, you could take that bitch of yours too. Then, bygones will be bygones. Or I could kill you now. Try to weasel your way out, _I will kill you._ "

Roman spat blood onto the floor. "Fuck you. But I'll do it, crazy bitch."

He limped over to his fallen comrade and picked her up in his arms. Cradling Neo and his broken weapon, he left the backroom. She followed close behind.

Roman hijacked a car and began driving toward the source of the sirens. Hopefully, he would lead them away from her.

It was time to pick up Ruby anyhow.

* * *

Cinder saw Ruby and that _other_ girl having fun with a board game.

Ruby rushed over to embrace her. Cinder hugged her back, not bothering to contain herself. After adopting the calm and control mask for the heist, it felt good to let her guard down.

"How was it?" Cinder asked.

"It was fun! We played board games and talked about sailing!" Ruby said excitedly.

"Well, we're going to be sailing soon."

"Really? Where?!"

The other girl seemed excited too, but Cinder ignored her.

"To Mistral. We'll talk about it soon."

Ruby grabbed Cinder's hand as they walked out. Cinder turned to Terri.

"Th.. thanks for watching Ruby."

"Anytime."

They went back to the motel room and began packing up.

"Why are we going to Mistral?" Ruby asked as she began playing with her cloak.

"I'm from Mistral," Cinder commented.

"What's Mistral like?"

"It's… it's alright. But with you, it will be better," Cinder said before tapping Ruby on the nose.

Ruby giggled before rubbing her eyes. "Can you help me take out the contact?"

"Of course, my gem."

Cinder helped remove the contact from Ruby's eye. She stared into Ruby's lone silver eye.

"Hey mom, why did my eyes change color?"

Cinder was about to lie or dodge the question, but two things stopped her. She remembered the outrage that she felt discovering Roman's betrayal- granted she was planning the same thing- and Cinder's promise to Ruby.

 _'I will never lie to you.'_

It was worrying on how Ruby might react if she ever figured out if someone was lying to her. Would she act in disbelief? Hatred?

Would Cinder risk it?

But… she might lose Ruby otherwise.

Which brought another worrying thought to Cinder. Ruby had effectively two lives. The old one and the new one. A life without Cinder, and a life with her. Ruby had that ' _blood connection'_ whereas Cinder had _none._ It was impossible for her. The scar that ran across her stomach assured that.

If given the option, would Ruby run back to her old life?

Cinder didn't like to gamble. She preferred sure-fire victories. This wasn't some game of manipulation or lies or secrets, this was someone she considered her daughter.

So, Cinder told Ruby about her eyes. After Ruby's initial excitement, Ruby began to heed to Cinder's warnings and concerns.

Then came the damning question- the one that muddled the future. The question that made Cinder question the path she would have to take.

' _Why are we going to Mistral?'_

Cinder wanted to lie. Tell her sweet little lies that Cinder was the only one that loved her. She remembered how it felt when Roman revealed his treacherous nature.

She hated the man with a passion.

Would Ruby hate her with the same intensity?

Cinder opened her mouth to lie, but no words came out of her mouth. Instead, tears fell down her cheek.

Ruby hugged her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Cinder laughed sadly. It was so easy to lie. She could tell the most elaborate of lies, perhaps even convince entire kingdoms that they were at war.

"Do you really want to know why we're going to Mistral?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?" Ruby asked. She was more focused with concern. Would Ruby still look upon her the same? Cinder didn't like having her trust broken and she should treat Ruby the same.

"Your uncle..." she started. " _Your uncle_ is looking for you. And..." ' _He want_ _s_ _to take you back to your horrible family._ _I'm the only one you can trust.'_ Cinder wanted to say.

"And… I don't know what to do," she finally admitted. "I love you like your my own. And that… that means, your happiness means the world. Maybe… I'm a horrible mom."

Cinder paused. There was no need to put on a falsehood for Ruby. She hid away her emotions for so long.

"I mean, I got you hurt!" Cinder wiped away her tears to no avail. "Why would someone like you want me as a mom? Maybe you should go to your uncle."

Ruby looked on as Cinder cried out her fears. Her silver eye glinted with something while her amber eye flickered with something else. Cinder couldn't read into that, but there was no malice in either eye.

Finally, Ruby hugged Cinder tight.

"I'm scared," Ruby said sheepishly.

Cinder looked at Ruby again, confused.

"Scared of what?"

"What if they still hate me? I… I had nightmares about them. Why would they want to find me? Could they really hate me?"

 _'Yes! Yes! Fuck them! They can burn in hell! You're mine! You're my daughter now! Not theirs! I… just want you happy.' "_ I don't know if they do, but I know what I think of you. _I love you,_ be you a Fall or a Rose."

"What am I suppose to do?" Ruby asked, clearly conflicted.

"Shape your own destiny. I just… hope that we will share the same path. I'll give you some time to think about it."

Cinder exited the room, and hung around by the door. She slid down onto the floor with her back to the wall. She buried her head into her hands.

Why was she like this?

Cinder Fall wasn't a nice person. If she had her way, the kingdoms would burn. The few that encountered her didn't see this side of her. Nobody did, not even herself. She prided herself on control and power.

Yet, she was so starved for any hint of affection… that she let herself loose. Now, she was going to lose it all. Either everything went her way or else.

This was quite the paradoxical conundrum. She wanted Ruby and she wanted Ruby happy. Choice- destiny was out of her hands. It was Ruby's choice- not her. Taking _control_ would make everything she loved about Ruby gone.

She wanted Ruby as a daughter not a slave.

Cinder enslaved her fair share of people to achieve her ends, but Ruby wasn't an end.

Cinder couldn't shape this part of her life.

She exhaled quietly and started looking at Roman's scroll. She had to get her mind off this.

The file was still there, but it was a burner scroll. There was nothing but the file on it. Roman had screwed her over.

Only he knew the person who held the payday.

Cinder wanted to scream in frustration. But she didn't. Who was she right now?

Was she the Cinder Fall who let her guard down around Ruby? Or was she the Cinder Fall who was calm and in _control?_

Ruby's choice would decide for her. Ruby was the only one. _Nobody else._

She needed to figure out what to do next. There was no lien- no way to leave this shit kingdom.

Cinder had a scroll filled with corporate secrets but no buyer.

While Ruby decided her fate, Cinder called the SDC customer service. She was going to do something reckless. Strong-arming the SDC into giving her lien. Threaten them into meeting her here, take their lien, and run off to Mistral before anything bad could happen. As the scroll ringed, she tapped on the door.

"Ruby, I'm going to be back in a couple of minutes."

"Okay!"

Her mask formed and she waited in the shadows of the motel. They better arrive on time _or else._

* * *

Ruby was conflicted, right down the middle.

There was a chance at her old life. Perhaps her ol… family didn't hate her. Even then, Ruby was with Cinder.

She didn't know what to do!

Ruby finally remembered both the good and the bad. Perhaps, even truly… they were sorry. Ruby spent so much time being worried and afraid that she didn't even consider that.

Ruby remembered what Cinder said about heroes.

But did that really matter?

Ruby didn't care about that anymore. Heroes didn't exist.

Family did however. In her naivety, Ruby wanted her... dad and her new mom to get along. Maybe that's similar to what... Yang wanted.

Reality had struck.

Cinder wouldn't like that, she wouldn't get along with… her dad.

Ruby just wanted everyone happy. Cinder didn't want Ruby to go, but maybe… they found Yang's mom and became a family again.

Did they still hold malice?

Or perhaps, they just made a mistake. Despite, her old mom being a _fake_ hero, Ruby was almost certain that her love was real.

Could their family be rekindled?

Maybe, things could get better… at the cost of losing Cinder. Ruby considered Cinder her new mom. Was that wrong?

They were all her family in their own way.

Ruby couldn't bring herself to _hate_ them.

Yet, how could she do this?

Finally, Ruby found a small solution. If her family was really worried about her, then they deserved to know that she was alright.

And Ruby didn't want to leave Cinder either.

Speeding around the room, she found a pen and paper to use. She began penning a small letter to Yang and her dad.

It was a compromise.

It was the only conceivable way that Ruby could keep everyone happy.

Family was family, blood or no blood.

Once the letter was penned, she tapped on the door to tell Cinder to come back in. Hopefully, Cinder was done with whatever she was doing.

Cinder was holding a briefcase when she came in. She was wearing a mask that quickly faded away. She looked a little pleased and smug, but facing Ruby, a different look formed.

One filled with uncertainty and worry.

"So?" Cinder asked quietly.

"I want everyone to be happy," Ruby started. "My family may be ' _heroes'_ but… they're my family. They deserve to know what happened."

Cinder looked downtrodden but Ruby continued. "So, I want to give them a letter. Tell them not to worry."

"So, you want to stay?" Cinder asked with hope beginning to form in her eyes. A spark full of hope.

"Of course! You're family too! I can't leave you alone!"

Cinder smiled. "Is… is it okay if I see the letter?"

Ruby gave a toothy grin and handed Cinder the letter. Ruby fiddled with her cloak anxiously. She began to notice the significance of it.

It was both old and new. Summer made it and Cinder refined it. Ruby loved it with all her heart.

Ruby glanced up to Cinder, as she finished the letter.

Cinder had a small tear in her eye and she smiled. Ruby Fall returned the smile.

Nobody would separate them.

* * *

Crimson couldn't believe her eyes.

She started hopping up and down.

"I'm pregnant!" she almost shouted. "Oh my god, oh my god! I gotta tell Azalea!" She realized that her husband was on a mission outside the kingdom.

Crimson started thinking about who to tell. She obviously had to tell her husband, her partner… hell, she'd even tell the fourth member of their team. Even if he was a fame-hogging, slight disgrace to the huntsmen name but he was a brother-in-arms.

Team CRAN was going to have a little reunion. She spent a long time trying to actually get pregnant. Now, it finally happened while she still had a responsibility. One final mission. Then, she would take a leave of absence. Crimson knew that Azalea was getting tired of the huntsman lifestyle. Perhaps, once the baby was born, he could retire and she could continue her huntress duty.

Huntsmen and huntresses had numerous options for retirement. There was several ' _unofficial'_ ways for them to retire. They could go into reserve. They could become a teacher and only on the rare occasion go on missions.

The official way to retire was serve at least four years.

Her scroll pinged.

It was one of her civilian friends. She was a secretary at the SDC. Crimson didn't hear from her since she took a job in Atlas.

Crimson pretty sure that she worked directly underneath the big man himself.

"Hey! What's going on?" Crimson greeted.

"Sorry, Miss Neverbloom-" Oh, it wasn't a social call. She only called Crimson by her last name when it was serious. "Unfortunately, I wished I called under different circumstances. While I was in Vale, the SDC had the unfortunate luck to be blackmailed. Mister Schnee wanted this to be kept on the down-low, so the ransom was paid. However-"

"Yeah, yeah. I got it. You need my awesome tracking skills and my semblance. But this will cost you."

"How much?" her friend asked, disappointed.

"I want you to have some lunch with me."

"What's the occasion?" she asked.

"I'm pregnant."

"Wait, what?"

"You heard me," Crimson said.

"Congratulations! But… are you sure that you need to this? I could always find someone else."

"Nah. It's a small favor. Besides, it's probably going to be one of my last missions anyway."

"If you say so, details are on your scroll but stay safe," her friend said.

"You know it! I look forward to that lunch," Crimson said.

"Heh, yeah. Take care."

Crimson went over the details in the scroll. The exchange took place at a motel owned my one Terri Bones.

A little questioning then put her tracking skills to good use.

Arriving at the motel, she started asking Terri about the residents there. Once she stated it was official huntress business, Terri spilled the beans.

Only one name stood out from the rest.

 _Cinder._

Could her two missions be related?

Coincidences like this just didn't happen. Crimson had a gut feeling that Cinder was leaving Vale and soon.

Crimson had a limited time frame to find Cinder. But there was one important detail. Cinder had a daughter.

Perhaps, Cinder's intentions were a tad more benevolent than she originally suspected. Whatever the case, she needed to solve this mystery and quick.

Entering the room that two stayed in, she began to channel her semblance. She touched a burnt curtain and she saw a ghostly trail leading out of the room.

Her semblance may not be suited for combat, but not all semblances were like that. Although, it didn't matter. Tracking down missing persons made it all worth it.

Rushing out, she ran past a mailbox and saw that the trail led to the docks. If Crimson had to guess, the Falls were leaving Vale via boat.

She saw two figures at the empty docks.

" _Cinder!"_ she shouted.

Cinder spun around gently nudged her daughter. The little one grabbed the suitcase and sped off in a haze of red and fire. There a brief note of kindness in that gesture, before she saw that same mask of angry.

"Crimson Neverbloom," Cinder said calmly.

"Why?" Crimson said simply.

"That's for me to know."

She put up her fists and they became engulfed in flames.

Crimson took out her whip. "I don't want to this. Just give me the lien and tell me _why._ I want to help! We'll work something out!"

" _I don't need your fucking_ _charit_ _y."_ The tone was cold and unforgiving.

Cinder charged at Crimson. She swung wide, giving Crimson an opportunity to tie her whip around Cinder's arm.

Twisting around, Crimson got Cinder into an arm-lock.

"Don't make me do it!" Crimson was more than willing to break Cinder's arm to get her to stop. With the right amount of pressure and aura, there were ways to bypass aura.

An orange circle formed beneath them and an explosion separated the two. Cinder got up and with visible pain, formed a single black sword.

Crimson noted that Cinder was most likely running low on the Dust in her system.

She cracked her whip and electricity began coursing through it. The handle of the whip contained a single yellow Dust crystal.

Cinder twirled her sword and the blade caught on fire.

"I don't want to do this! I know there is more to this!"

Cinder merely ignored her and slammed her blade into the ground. A row of fire shot out toward Crimson. Leaping into the air, she cracked her whip at Cinder.

The whip found its mark. Thousands of volts coursed through Cinder and she dropped her sword as her aura shattered.

Crimson thanked her weapon, Crystal Indiana. It took a long time modifying it.

Cinder stumbled onto the floor.

" _Leave her alone!"_ a young voice called out.

A blaze of fire smashed into Crimson and she could feel a tiny knife chipping away at her aura.

The blaze went away and Crimson saw Cinder charging up as flames danced all around her. A massive wave of fire consumed Crimson and the last of her aura.

The daughter stood by a literal smoking Cinder. She tossed Crystal Indiana to the side and picked up Crimson by the throat.

Crimson didn't want to die. She just wanted to _help._ She wanted to see the rest of her team. She wanted her baby to see a world. Crimson was doing her best to shape the world to be a better place.

 _So why?_

Cinder couldn't be this bad. She was a mother too.

"Please don't," she croaked out. "I'm… I'm pregnant."

Cinder's eyes glinted something fierce. "You're in the way. I'm not losing my daughter to the likes of you."

"I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to help. But please as a mother, _please don't."_

Crimson felt the heat emitting from Cinder's hand.

"Then, you'd understand that I would do anything to protect my daughter. Although, I do regret this."

There was that one sliver of goodness in Cinder. Crimson just had to appeal to that.

"Just tell me, when we were traveling together-"

"When you lied to me about being a huntress?" Cinder accused. "Let me guess, it was because of the mission!"

" _When we were traveling together,_ what did you dream of? I know there is some good in you. What made you smile?"

Cinder pulled Crimson in close. "Your attempts are naive as they are stupid. Life doesn't work like that. But do you really want to know?"

Crimson struggled to nod.

"You know what made me happy? _The kingdoms_ _burning."_

Crimson grimaced and knew that it was hopeless. She was sorry. She was sorry that she wouldn't see her husband anymore. She was sorry for the grief that she was going to put her husband through.

Crimson just wished that it didn't have to be this way. She wanted a family, but that dream was dead. Her family sacrificed for someone else's family.

 _She didn't want to die._

Cinder plunged the sword through Crimson's belly and Crimson Neverbloom was no more.

* * *

Cinder looked upon the crumbled body of Crimson Neverbloom. The blood began seeping out onto the light red duster. Her light red hair was cloaked in blood and dirt. Cinder began to search through the duster coat and pulled out Crimson's journal.

It was a hunter's journal. It could be useful, if Cinder could crack the code.

Crimson had been something of an acquaintance. This was before the betrayal. She trusted Crimson and she turned out to be a huntress, the very thing she despised.

While Cinder felt a twinge of guilt, this action was a necessity. Cinder didn't technicality break her vow to not harm children. It wasn't out of the goodness of her heart, but rather because she couldn't bear the thought of hurting someone like Ruby.

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"Heh. Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" Cinder asked.

"I'm fine, What about you?"

"Never better! But I saved you from that mean old huntress, didn't I?" Ruby boasted.

"That you did. Nice use of the cloak. You made me proud."

Ruby beamed up to Cinder. "I don't suppose I could get a present because of how good I did?"

"That depends. What is it?"

Ruby held up her pocket knife, it's blade bent.

"Oh, that's a shame. Kinda my fault anyway, I didn't properly teach you on how to channel your aura through a weapon."

"I didn't like the knife anyway. Too short."

Cinder laughed. "I think it's time we made you a weapon. Something that suits you. How about… while we're on the ship, you could think of a weapon. And then, while we're in Mistral… I'll help make you it with you. Now, let's go."

Cinder took Ruby's hand and they began to make their way to the ship. It was easy to pay for someone to take them to Mistral.

Paranoia forced her to pick a boat over an airship. Cinder didn't want any record of them leaving on an airship.

It worked out fine anyway.

Once on board, they began to set sail. It wasn't a cruise ship by any means but it was good enough.

The cabin they were staying was small and a bit cramped, but they didn't mind. The voyage would almost certainly take a few days, but that would give them enough time to recuperate.

Ruby was reading some old comic books while Cinder counted the lien. Cinder knew they weren't ready. They needed more time to train.

And Cinder needed to find some allies and fast.

Ruby was a great start. But, the two of them couldn't take on a whole kingdom.

Ruby groaned out-loud.

"What is it, Ruby?" Cinder asked.

"I already read all these books. And I'm soooo bored."

"What did I say about complaining?"

"I know, I know. But I'm soooo bored."

Cinder put down the lien and sighed. "Maybe you're right. How about we explore the ship?"

"I could do it by myself."

"As good as you are, I don't want you to fall over."

Ruby laughed. "I won't! Pretty please!"

Cinder frowned before eventually sighing. She decided that she should take the time to crack the journal while Ruby was out. But Ruby needed some safety. She pulled out her own knife and gave it to Ruby.

It was a bigger pocket knife than the last one. Hopefully, Ruby wouldn't break this one.

"Just in-case. And try not to fall over!" Cinder called out as Ruby ran out.

* * *

Ruby began walking around the deck. It was a night and Ruby could see what Coral meant by her love of the sea.

The salty sea breeze on her face, the gently brush of the waves.

Ruby considered Coral to be a friend, despite their brief interaction. Ruby looked upon the sea. It was calm as the ship cut a course through it.

"Pretty nice, isn't it?" a voice said from behind her.

Ruby spun around and saw a redheaded boy facing her. He wore a simple sailor's uniforms.

"Hey," Ruby started.

"Where are my manners, I'm Scarlet David." He held out his hand.

Ruby shook it. "Ruby Fall."

Scarlet leaned over the railing. "Beautiful ain't it?"

The shattered moon shone it's light across the calm sea.

"Yeah," Ruby looked at Scarlet again. "Do you work here?"

"A bit yeah. It's job experience. Over the summers I help out with some of my parents' friends with shipping."

"Gonna be a sailor?" Ruby asked.

"Eh. That's kind of the plan. Although, anything with adventure is up my alley."

Scarlet looked at Ruby. "Nice eyes."

Ruby fidgeted and blushed a little. Cinder wanted her to wear contacts all the time, but Ruby begged not to.

"Thanks," Ruby sputtered out.

"Sorry, that was rude of me. But you headed to Mistral?"

Ruby nodded.

"Not the best place, but hey, it's home."

"Do you know where I could find any food?" Ruby asked.

"Wait here a moment."

Scarlet ran off and returned with a sandwich. "Straight from the captain's table."

"Really?"

"Not really. But it's still good."

Ruby bit into the sandwich and to her surprise, found out she liked it.

"I don't suppose you could tell me what people do around here for fun?"

"Fish!"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, you could fish."

Scarlet disappeared and returned with some folding chairs and fishing poles.

"The ship is going at slow enough speed for us to fish. I'll teach you the basics."

He set down the chairs and they plopped down on them.

"It's simple. You hook the bait and you cast the line out. Like so!" Scarlet casted out the line.

Ruby did her best to emulate what Scarlet did.

Soon, Ruby began growing anxious. "This is so boring!"

"Good things come to those who wait," As Scarlet said that, he reeled in a big fish.

"That's no fair! You cheated."

"I only have experience, young one. But, if you wait… the fish will come to you. Everything works out in the end."

Ruby grumbled and she shook the fishing pole.

"Can't wait to eat this bad boy. But seriously, have some patience."

Ruby sighed and began waiting. She felt a tug on the line and she began reeling it in.

She pulled up the fish and found out that it was a tiny fish. It was barely bigger than a goldfish.

"Hahah! Don't worry, we can't all start out great. But if you keep at it-" Ruby casted out the line again. "- eventually, you'll find out everything would work out."

Ruby felt another tug and she pulled in a fish that was three times bigger than the last one.

"Yeah!" Ruby shouted.

"See! I told ya." Scarlet paused. "I gotta get back to work, it's been fun."

Scarlet ran off while Ruby returned to her room.

She found Cinder sleeping with a dark look in her face.

* * *

 _Cinder found herself in that dark realm once more. She faced the pale white figure once more._

" _Salem."_

" _Cinder," she returned. "I said you weren't ready but yet… you disappoint me. You couldn't have any patience. Seven years at most. But you couldn't wait."_

" _I apologize, Salem."_

" _Take it as a learning experience," Salem paused. "I see you taken an apprentice… no daughter. Are you not a maiden anymore?"_

" _Adopted."_

" _Are you prepared of what that entails?" Salem asked._

" _Too deep even if I wanted to stop."_

" _I know what you mean. But are you really prepared?"_

" _It's the path I chose."_

 _Salem chuckled. "There was so many paths that I could have took with you. And yet, I chose to give you freedom. All I asked of you is that you obey. And yet..."_

" _I apologize-"_

" _Don't. Although, I was going to tell you about the maidens and your destiny but I feel as though I should reconsider. In your brazen arrogance, you were sloppy. You interfered and now, it would be best to wait."_

" _But-" Cinder started._

" _No buts. As humorous you thinking you could take them on, you would have lost. When dealing with someone like Ozpin, you shouldn't just rush in. You're lucky that you didn't. You're no use to me captured."_

" _Yes, Salem."_

" _I was going to tell you about the maidens and the phoenixes. But perhaps, when you're ready."_

" _Yes, Salem," Cinder repeated._

" _But this isn't a social call. I decided to give you a warning."_

" _Thank you, Salem," Cinder said. "What is the warning?"_

 _Salem gave a smile. A cruel smile, that signified that punishment and amusement._

" _Watch out for silver eyes cloaked in white."_

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Frostbite_**


	12. Frostbite

Chapter 12: Frostbite

* * *

The Schnee household was bristling with people. It's empty halls filled with faceless crowds. Weiss stood there, greeting those lifeless people. Relatives that she didn't know greeted her with an almost false sense of familiarity.

At first, Weiss was intrigued about this prospect. It was a chance to socialize- a chance to be free. And she never felt lonelier.

These crowds weren't people. She didn't know why she had that tiny hope that they were actual people. She hoped that they would see her as more than an heiress.

But alas, it was no avail.

Even worse, she thought her eyepatch would be a source of embarrassment. Instead, her reminder was nothing more than an interesting accessory.

It spat at the whole meaning of it.

She _hated_ this. But she had to endure. It was her destiny. Ever since she was brought into this world, it was predestined. A destiny to be a strong Schnee that brought greatness to the name.

It was something that _she_ could not fight against.

So she smiled, she shook hands with complete strangers, and she curtseyed with a false sense of grace. Weiss was taught etiquette. She didn't hate it nor did she love it.

It simply _was._ There was nothing more to it. This was just another thing for her to overcome. Weiss looked at the glass in her hand. It was another superficial gesture.

As far as Weiss could tell, she was the only child here. And even, she wasn't truly that either. Weiss Schnee, _heiress._

Everyone here knew it too. Weiss had been given a burden at such a young age. With that burden came the pessimistic truth and the denial of her chilhood. She read in between the lines, every little compliment was not genuine.

This made everything worse. Some part of her wanted to believe those little lies. But she couldn't. Weakness would not be acceptable. She had to be leagues better than everyone else.

Excusing herself to no one in particular, she locked herself in the bathroom. At least this isolation was honest.

Weiss looked into the mirror. She took a deep breath. Gingerly removing her eyepatch, she looked at her face.

It was a reminder, she kept telling herself.

The scars were still there, it looked like an animal had done such a deed rather than a Faunus… not that there was much difference. Secretly, it was something that she wanted to display prominently. Of course, father wouldn't allow it. He offered surgery to remove it, but Weiss refused. The time frame to permanently remove it flawlessly was gone. Not that he would notice, work was taking more and _more_ of his time.

Her dead eye bore into the mirror. Missing half of her vision was one of the pitfalls she'd rather avoid. It took some time to adjust, but Weiss thought she did rather well. Aura helped compensate for most of the functions, but her sight was something she would never truly get back.

Unless she took the deal that her father offered.

Weiss considered it, ever since she missed seeing out of both of eyes. But Weiss felt that she had to prove herself first before she could take the deal.

She didn't know why, but that's how she felt. Until then… she placed the eyepatch over her face again. Weiss gave a fake smile to the mirror and headed back out.

And she was back into the sea of bodies once more.

Navigating the sea with smiles and false words, she searched desperately for a place of peace. The bathroom was no place for that.

Weiss eventually found a nice and secluded area. While it was no paradise, it was a small spot of calm in a turbulent sea.

As she stood there, isolated and alone, Weiss muttered to herself, "For duty and all that."

Atlas was always like that, placing duty above all else. It did give Atlas the stigma of being single-minded zealots, but not everything was at seems.

Her family still loved her, despite circumstances snipping their time away. It seemed like business had consumed her father, but he still loved her.

And Winter. Duty was inevitable, but they were sisters. Nothing could ever change that fact. Weiss only wished that Winter didn't have attend Atlas Academy.

It was a silly notion- a child complaining about how the world operated. Weiss was expected to attend Atlas Academy. It was unavoidable, considering that she took the road less traveled. It was a road that she couldn't undo.

While she considered going to the primary combat academy, Weiss was already leaning toward personal training. As long as one got the proper permission, it would be perfectly acceptable. The real test of character came during the initiation.

Winter said as much.

Her older sister knew her path and it was _her_ path. Winter's dreams and destiny aligned with each other. Still, Winter was going to be there when Weiss needed her, there was some burdens that she needed to shoulder _alone._

* * *

Winter remembered how much she hated this. The false pleasantries and being alone in a crowded room.

It was one of the many reasons she wanted to escape by becoming a huntress. She heard and studied how they operated.

They were part of something greater, never alone. Atlas promoted such things, military fellowship and loyalty.

That was one of the huge reasons she wanted to become a huntress. But there was another one that took priority.

She wanted to make the kingdom a better place. She didn't want her sister dealing with hurt _again._ Despite her sister's stubbornness that she could deal with this herself, Winter wanted to help anyway she could. Although, she really needed to smack some sense into Weiss.

Winter fiddled with her dress. She just had to endure this one more time. After this, Winter would be off to Atlas Academy.

"Winter," her father's voice said, "I'd like you to meet someone.:

She turned around and saw her father standing with Brigadier General Ironwood, the headmaster of Atlas Academy.

"Oh! Brigadier-General! It's… it's an honor." She offered her hand and Ironwood shook it with his gloved hand. His grip was strong.

"I heard you were joining us over at Atlas Academy to become a huntress. A notable profession," Ironwood commented.

"I'll leave you two alone," her father said before walking away.

She both hated and loved her father's decision. Winter would have liked some forewarning. He just decided to drop his bomb-shell on her, but that's how he operated. He may have loved them but he merely gave them the tools to succeed. She was pretty sure that he got some sort of personal secretary to train Weiss.

"I heard father speak praises about your ability, Winter. Your semblance and swordsmanship in particular."

"I hope that I live up to your expectations," Winter replied.

Train being used very loosely, managing Weiss's activities was more accurate. Most of the time, family was expect to train aura and semblance. What little time he had, he used to help Winter with her semblance.

His notes on the family semblance was very useful. Using these notes, she gave up her last vestiges of freedom on giving Weiss some of the basics. She didn't blame father, his time was limited. Winter just hoped that Weiss didn't resent that too much, because soon there would be no family to train her.

"If I may say, there are some alternatives to the huntress role."

"Is there? Like the reserve?" Winter asked.

"There's the Special Operatives program."

"Ah, I heard much about Atlas trying out many new programs. Interesting work. But I haven't heard much about that particular program."

"Only Atlas Academy students and graduates are really told about it. It's more military-orientated if that is your thing," Ironwood said.

"It sounds intriguing to say the least, I'll have to give it some thought. Although, what's the benefits of the program?" Winter asked. She was already considering the role herself.

"A team of hunters are a cohesive unit by themselves but not all of them could work that cohesively with the military. I always pushed for this program when it was first proposed. I'd tell you more, but I can't give away too many details but you'll find out more after the initiation."

"You know how to keep a lady intrigued."

"I look forward to testing your skills and I do hope you survive the initiation. Now, I got to find your father. We need to finish discussing some business."

Ironwood joined the faceless crowd. Winter thought about the program and she was enticed to join already.

Some part of her wanted to wait and see, but Winter decided to push that back. She suddenly found this whole gala business easier to bear with.

The gala was to raise funds to help Vale, a sort of goodwill between kingdoms… and it helped the SDC's image.

Speaking of which, Winter couldn't imagine running the whole thing. She looked toward her father, at the effects of running a business.

Despite Weiss's insistence, Winter couldn't help but worry. Maybe Winter needed to be tougher on Weiss.

Then again, Winter was already tough on Weiss, she wanted her little sister to at least have one enjoyable memory before she left.

Perhaps, they could do something quiet after this.

They just needed to get away from this lifestyle of never-ending business.

* * *

"Mister Schnee. You have yet to show anything to convince me that we should go with your company."

"I believe that you will be quite convinced when it shows up," Schnee said.

"I have yet to be convinced," Ironwood said. "And it's quite a shame, your company have been a reliable source of Dust."

"Thank you," Schnee said. "But, as I said, I'm sure you will be quite happy with the results. I've read up with your type of work-" Ironwood subconsciously moved _that_ arm uncomfortably. "- and I think it might significantly help accelerate certain fields of yours. From mechs to..." Schnee trailed off.

Ironwood clenched his gloved fist. "Whatever it is, it better be worth it. Though, if it proves to be a waste of my time, perhaps the military should go with SneBier. At least she showed something to us."

"Oh, what would that be?" Schnee asked with a smirk. "I bet I could outdo her."

"And you're welcomed to do so. But keep in mind that you have a limited time frame. At least with her, it could enhance our soldiers. What could you offer?"

"Oh, you'll see. And when you are convinced, I'll even let you have the person responsible for the advancements. He's quite a capable man, spearheading everything. He's even a capable engineer too. Might even help you with your mechs."

"Whatever the case, your daughters are training to be huntresses? I know that Winter will attending Atlas, but what of the younger one- Weiss, was it?" Ironwood asked.

"They both will, but Weiss _will_ be in reserve. I did hear about _that_ program."

"So, you're perfectly fine with Winter being a huntress but not a specialist?" Ironwood mused.

"You do know what they call the military?" Schnee asked.

"Attack dogs that are placed needlessly in danger when a _hunter_ could be employed. It's quite a shame that there aren't enough hunters for that. I suspect that you wouldn't want your daughter to be known as such. But nothing is as it seems. Military life is quite respectable if needlessly dangerous, but so is a hunter's lifestyle."

Schnee gave a smile. "I know I could help with that."

Ironwood contemplated that remark. His brow furrowed as he gazed off into the distance.

"I expect something after this gala. Just keep that in mind," Ironwood said before walking off.

"Expect something sooner than that," Schnee muttered before looking around. They were in a relatively isolated area, on top of one of the many balconies.

He looked over the courtyard. It was funny to him that he could throw enough money to clean the blood and repair the courtyard in record time. Lives were such a trivial thing. His entire security detail dead, but they didn't matter. _Except_ _her_ _s._ Maybe if things were different… no... it could never undo what happened.

He frowned and pushed that thought into the recesses of his mind. Everything had to go perfect today. It took a while to set everything up. Everyone had to be impressed with what he had to show. It was going to change the world. It had to be handled with care, as the backlash if things went wrong… the SDC wouldn't survive.

The courtyard had both his security detail and Ironwood's military stationed around. They were all in the usually points. Anyone with military know-how could see it. Anything less than a strategic all out attack would crumble the defenses.

Schnee leaned on the railway, preparing for the things to come. The military contract would prove favorably and he knew how much Atlas would desperately want what he had. They had tried and failed where he had succeed. He held all the cards now. Despite his confidence, he still worried that Atlas wouldn't take it. It had to be Atlas- probably out of a sense of nationalism.

He went over the prepared speech in his head. He couldn't wait to see Sturm's face when he unveils everything. He did publicly invite her and her daughter, as a way to seemly ' _reconcile'_ the feud between the two companies. She couldn't refuse without making it seem like she was spitting in his face at his attempt at ' _peace'._ Funny, he would never _ever_ try that.

Sturm was going to be paranoid coming here. After all, she was going to be alone in the lion's den. He checked over the guest list and her butler bodyguard was here but that was no problem. As her whole world crumbles before her, he would take satisfaction in her demise.

Her company was already going down the shitter and soon he will acquire that worthless company company. Soon after that, he was going to liquidate everything she owned and leave _nothing_ for that brat of hers.

If he learned anything it was that there could only be one. There was no room for competition here. The SDC had to grow strong enough to strike down any potential competitors. He wanted to leave behind a legacy worthy enough for his heiress.

* * *

Weiss jumped in shock as someone put a hand on her shoulder. She quickly recovered and relaxed as she recognized that rare embrace.

"Hello, Winter," Weiss said formally. There was no hint of affection, it was as if she was greeting a stranger.

"You really want to go that way?" Winter muttered under her breath. "Greetings, sister. I trust the gala's atmosphere up to par?"

"Please don't patronize me."

Winter gently punched Weiss's shoulder. "I was actually serious about that question but loosen up. You don't have to worry about whatever image you're going for. There aren't that many people here anyhow."

Winter gestured around the room, displaying a distinct absence of people. By now, most of them were gathering around for a big reveal.

The Schnee sisters themselves didn't know what their father had planned but he did trust themselves to keep safe. Winter had a bad feeling about this. She tugged at her dress uncomfortably. Some hunters could wear dresses while fighting, but those dresses were designed for combat. These dresses were not. They didn't even any combat skirt technology.

Luckily, their father allowed them to wear something underneath.

Weiss glanced around the room and let her shoulders sag.

"I could see why you didn't like this," Weiss commented quietly.

Winter opened her mouth to reply but Weiss continued, "Still! I can't mope about it. Gotta be like you and dad."

"Don't worry if you're only as half as good as me. That's still pretty great."

Weiss smiled. "You know, we should… have lun-" Weiss remembered what happened the last time she had a quiet moment with a family member. She froze briefly as her eyepatch became wet.

Winter caught on to her reaction and gave her a small hug before going down to her level.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to."

"Don't treat me like a child!" Weiss cried indignantly. "I'm fine!"

Winter wanted to give Weiss another hug but opted against it. She wanted to respect Weiss's wishes. Besides if Weiss needed time, then she wouldn't encroach on that. Being a big sister meant that she had to know when to give her space and when to give Weiss a sensible smack.

"If you ever need anything..." Winter left herself trail off.

"Fine. I get it. It's… it's just hard thinking about her. Is it bad that sometimes I wished there was someone like her to stop the _hurt?"_ Weiss asked while looking down.

"No, but I know me and dad aren't going to be around a whole lot, but we love you. Even when I'm kicking your butt in a woefully unfair match or when father assigns you a bunch of lessons."

They both noticed that the room began to fill up and they straightened their posture and their tones become formal.

"Thank you, Winter," Weiss said quietly.

Winter nodded and asked, "Are your extracurricular activities up to your standards?"

"Quite. I started taking vocal lessons."

"Oh? I'm sure you have a lovely voice and-" Winter leaned in. "- I'm sure you will play for whole crowds. And they will be shouting your name."

Weiss gave a small blush before recovering. "Thank you for the compliment. I-"

Weiss's lone eye caught a girl of her age enter the room. Winter turned her attention to the girl also. The hollow crowd.

The girl had a walk that was loud and proud. It was as if she wanted to draw the attention to herself. Weiss almost stepped back before regaining her composure. There was a well-dressed man watching the girl from the back. The girl made a beeline toward them. Winter stepped in front of Weiss but Weiss gently pushed past Winter to meet the girl.

Cream-colored eyes met Weiss's lone icy eye. Her eyes conveyed a sense of amusement and an almost malicious sense of curiosity. At a distance, her hair appeared to be platinum blonde but it seemed to be more cream-colored on closer inspection. She flipped her twin-tails back and tilted her head. Something seemed familiar about the girl.

"So… you're the heiress, right?" she asked. Weiss looked over the dress that the girl was wearing. It was a relatively simple white dress but most of the attention was focused on the tiny blue diamonds lining the skirt.

Weiss nodded her head. "Weiss Schnee, heiress to the SDC. And who do I owe the pleasure to?"

"Frost SneBier, _heiress_ to the SBI. A _true_ pleasure," Frost said with a small sneer.

* * *

Frost gauged the reaction of Weiss. Her mother really didn't want them to be here, but Frost went anyway. It was like a high-stakes game, but Frost didn't know the stakes. Rusty allowed her to play cards during the off-time when mother wasn't there.

They didn't barter in money but rather in favors and chores. And Frost lived a care-free life because of it.

It was to teach Frost something about business but Frost saw it as a fun game. Although, she didn't want to lose but she didn't want to try either. Frost just coasted on natural ability. After all, she was the best. Still, she had yet to find a real challenge.

Weiss outstretched her hand. Frost found it funny on how everyone expected to be polite and formal even if they absolutely hated each other. Point in case, her mother didn't want to be here but she came anyway. Her mom made it seem like they were rivals, so Frost decided to act out that role. It wasn't hard to play her usual role.

Frost waved her hand, dismissing the gesture.

Trying the patience of people was a favorite past-time of her. Nobody would bother to actually try anything. Frankly, the whole prospect of a rival was intriguing but it already seemed drab.

The older looking Weiss stepped forward but Weiss gave her a look. The older one nodded and made her way to where Rusty was. Things were already even more interesting. Most people would have folded or walked away but the most arrogant were all talk.

"I don't appreciate your tone. You're in my _home._ "

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Frost said dismissively. It was funny seeing her trying to scowl with one eye. "Cool eyepatch. How did you get it?"

Weiss looked around and gave a deep breath. "One chance, SneBier."

"And I'll take it."

Weiss gave a small smile. "Then, let's have a little match. You have aura right?"

Frost idly remembered her lessons. She had only the bare basics as the more advanced books were kept away from the public eye. Still, she wouldn't stand for that insult.

"No, but I wouldn't need it."

Weiss gave a condescending smile. "Are you really sure?"

Frost leaned in close and whispered. "I'll kick your ass."

A small rotating glyph formed between the two of them. It created enough force to flick Frost back a step. The whole crowd didn't notice their altercation as the of them talked in hushed tones but Frost couldn't help but chuckle. Weiss looked confused at her chuckling.

"You've got spunk. Worthy of being my rival."

Weiss chuckled, an almost carefree laugh. "You mean you're worthy enough to being _my_ rival."

"Yeah? Well, can you sing as well as me? I'm sure you heard all about it," Frost said before singing a quiet little note.

"No, but I will surpass you."

"Excuses, excuses."

It was a competition now. Finally, Frost had someone that actually bothered. And it seemed that it was a healthy distraction for Weiss. Competition was a core part of being human. Frost didn't understand why her mother was so hell-bent on winning. Competition was all a big game to her. It wasn't like it was a matter of life or death.

"Well, at least I can fight."

Frost paused for a moment before declaring to Weiss, "Then I'll outdo you in that too. Just watch me."

"I am watching. And I'm not impressed."

"Bah! You wouldn't know skill and charm if it bit you in the behind. Everyone knows about me and nothing about _you,"_ Frost boasted.

"Well, everyone would know about a fool."

The two kept on their bickering as their two guardians watched on.

* * *

Rusty acknowledged the older Schnee sister before him. They stood there in silence watching over the kids. A mutual understanding as guardians. He felt uneasy being around Winter, considering what happened... but they had no idea, right?

Then again, why was Sturm invited?

He speculated that Schnee just wanted to rub in some victory in Sturm's face but something just felt… _off._

Sturm insisted that he kept watch over Frost. While he worried for Sturm, they both agreed that Frost was the one that needed protection. Sturm had some degree of protection with Dust, but no aura. Frost was similar in that regard. He briefly glanced over to the eldest Schnee sister.

Winter Schnee held her gaze on the two children. Frost was… a feisty little child. Others may have called her a brat but she was just a little girl that was utterly bored with her lifestyle. Still, he did his best to spice things up for her but she outgrew anything he threw at her. She tried her hand at her cards and she only stumbled a bit before finally getting the hang of it.

Of course, she cheated to win at cards. It made him proud.

The girl had a competitive streak a mile long. One could only win for so long before they finally get bored.

That was dangerous in its own right. Frost kept poking at things in order to get a reaction with Weiss Schnee now.

As the two kids kept boasting about whatever, he felt worried. It may have felt like friendly banter but it could quickly turn into something worse. Kids could be needlessly cruel, mocking each other for their differences. Frost and Weiss were two of a kind, but what did that mean?

"I wouldn't worry too much," Winter said as if she noticed his concern. "They're just having a little bit of fun."

"I wouldn't call insulting each other fun," Rusty replied.

"At least they aren't at each others throats?" Winter offered. "Still, I doubt they would be seeing each other that often. Let them have their fun."

"Hm, kinda odd that rival heiresses are getting along then."

Winter almost snorted in derision, but caught herself. "I wouldn't call it that. Let them become mortal enemies later in life. It's still too early for them to worry about business if I were to be honest."

 _'If SneBier Incorporated survives,'_ he thought. Although, Winter was suggesting that their two companies would still be around in the future put some ease to his mind.

Perhaps Schnee wouldn't try anything drastic here anyhow if Winter's comment was true.

"It's a shame though," Winter said, breaking the silence.

"What is?"

"Just the burdens they have. No normal childhoods. And it's funny… the moment some semblance of normality creeps in, it's gone."

Rusty knew what Winter was referring too. It resonated something in sympathy and stirred feelings of guilt. He told himself that he merely played a small part in it. That's how he worked. It wasn't him, he was just a mere weapon in the grander schemes.

Yet, he took away someone's mother. It was just more blood on his hands. He reminded himself that they were the enemies and they would do the same thing given the chance.

That pep-talk soured the previous minutes beforehand and he kept his eye on Frost.

Winter seemed to notice his disdain and began to emulate him. Not his attitude but rather his stance. He had served his mandatory service in the Atlas army. It was the reason why Sturm hired him. If he wagered, Winter wanted to become a huntress or similar. Military personal like Ironwood were allowed in high-ranking positions because they served their time as hunters.

Once they had experience, they could apply themselves to the military and work their way through the ranks. Rusty bet that Winter wanted to do something just like that.

He felt some pity, as the military would harden her through valor and discipline. Something caught his eyes as another kid entered what he deemed ' _the kiddie zone'._

* * *

Ciel didn't like this.

It was a waste of time. She kept eyeing her wristwatch for the fifth time. She was brought up on strict discipline. The gala was about scheduled for five hours and twenty minutes… give or take. It was a media fest, as the host invited several note-worthy reporters from several kingdoms for a big reveal.

Until then, she could bear through the pleasantries. Ciel knew what her role in life was. The only thing that Ciel argued for was the use of her beret with the dress she was forced to wear. It was for diplomatic relations, given that her parents wanted the higher-ups to remember the Soleil name. A way to introduce the new generation, so to speak.

She felt comfortable in the dress, oddly enough. It was probably due to the combat skirt technology. The designs were both practical and stylish but Ciel would be fine as long as it was easy to move in.

Ciel still had her aura to unlock. She already gone through training to unlock it to no avail. She still had undying confidence that it would unlock. Besides, if she couldn't unlock during training then her parents would apply for an aura unlocking.

It only happened with special cases but with her parent's service, she would be that special case. It still felt like losing. Ciel had a feeling that she should unlock it herself and not have it handed to her on a platter.

Eventually, wandering around the Schnee household became drab and boring. Adults wouldn't bother with a child of her age no matter how mature she considered herself.

Perhaps, it was time to change tactics. She should find some kids to mingle with. It would help kill the time.

Making her way around the house, she found two kids pointlessly arguing. There was a tone of playful maliciousness in their voices oddly enough.

She approached them and introduced herself. "Hello, my name is Ciel Soleil. Yours?"

Ciel outstretched her hand.

"I'm Weiss Schnee," she said as they shook hands. She briefly gazed upon the eyepatch. Some speculated it was for décor but Ciel knew better. It was not wise to look upon the scars of battles won or lost. Weiss's tone was curious and a little bit offended.

"Oh, heiress of the host. An honor," Ciel said before turning to the other girl.

The other girl looked at her with eager eyes. "A beret. How… _boring."_

Ciel wanted to snap back but she knew better. "How observant you are."

"Ugh… boring," the girl said.

Ciel disinterestedly looked at her watch, ignoring the girl.

"Forgive her, SneBiers don't have any manners," Weiss said.

"Hey!" Frost quietly shouted. Then drawn to the attention, two adults approached the trio of girls.

"Is everything alright?" the older girl that resembled Weiss. At first, Weiss was receptive to the older sister until she started to hang around. The butler asked the same question to SneBier.

Both of their responses were nearly identical. And their responses were one of embarrassment and telling them to go away.

When they lingered around, both of the girls began ' _shooing'_ their respective guardians. Both of them looked unsure but eventually they receded.

"Okay, we're going to be in the courtyard if you need anything."

"So embarrassing," SneBier said.

Ciel didn't really bother to keep track of their conversation. It consisted of bickering and dry insults. They were being childish spoiled brats as of now Although, if Ciel had to choose one of the girls to deal with, it would be Weiss.

At least Weiss had some sense of dignity and respect. Hopefully, Weiss would outgrow her childish behavior because Ciel heard some adults mention that Weiss had aura. As always aura came with responsibility.

She looked toward some of the guards- a mixture of military and privately contracted guards. Her eyes drifted toward the grandfather clock.

 _Tick-tock._

Something was off.

 _Tick-tock._

Ciel knew that aura could enhanced one's senses but she had to learn to notice the signs. It was a temporary measure until she could finally unlock her aura.

 _Tick-tock._

 _Tick-tock._

Unless the grandfather clock was broken, there was another clock somewhere. Quickly surveying the room, there was only a lone clock in the room.

Then the ticking stopped and the beeping began. A chandelier dropped from the ceiling it exploded on impact and the trio of girls were thrown to the wall. The explosion would have been much worst, but Ciel felt that whoever set off the bomb didn't want to kill anyone.

The effects were similar to wind Dust. Her dad had taken her out shooting once, demonstrating the various effects of Dust.

As her vision blurred, Ciel struggled to get up. She brought her hand to her face and saw a blue light shimmer over her hands.

 _Aura._

Turning her head, she saw the SneBier shimmer with a light cream color. Weiss was the first to get up and hugged the wall, dazed.

Ciel got up and managed to help the SneBier girl up. If Ciel remembered correctly, there was a grace period of strength and healing when they first ' _awakened'_ as her father put it. Of course, there were moves to change the terms but not everyone followed the breaking of tradition.

"Everybody get down!" several voices shouted. Hails of gunfire strategically took out the guards. Aura and body armor could do a lot but direct gunfire hitting people dead one typically did the deal. Everyone turned to the emerging figures as the dust cleared.

They were draped in armor with the White Fang symbol painted on the chest pieces. They wore bandannas and cavalcades and they wielded assault rifles. There were three of them and the rest of the crowd followed their instructions.

Unfortunately, Ciel didn't freeze up and her training kicked in. She had to get in quick and disable their guns. Before, she wouldn't have considered this but aura gave her the tools.

Before she could make the first move, Weiss Schnee beat her to the punch. She heard fabric tear and saw Weiss rip off the dress, revealing a more practical white outfit underneath. It was a white uniform buttoned up. A small glyph appeared underneath the girl and shot her forward. Tackling the one in the middle, several shots rang out. Ciel took advantage of the confusion and charged at the panicked gunmen.

Hoping on the second Faunus's back, she managed to get the man into a choke-hold. The grace period of her awakening was still going strong and gifted her the strength. The man finally croaked and fell while Weiss was stomping the other man's head in. Clearly, she was trained in using her aura well.

A gunshot rang in the air and a voice screamed. " _Enough!"_

The two girls faced the last gunman. By now, the rest of the crowd fled. "I'm going to kill you bitches-" The SneBier ripped a table leg and swung it into the man's head. A shock-wave exploded from the impact and both of them flew. The SneBier girl was untrained in channeling her aura. The table leg shattered and the SneBier got up, laughing.

"Hahaha! Fuc- Flipping awesome!" the SneBier girl shouted.

"Enough!" Ciel said. Several more explosions boomed from multiple places throughout the house. "We got a situation to deal with. From the sound of things, we got multiple hostiles."

"We can take them!" SneBier said.

"Don't be an idiot," Weiss said. "We need a plan. I suggest we formulate a plan of attac-"

" _No,"_ Ciel interrupted.

"Excuse me?" Weiss said. It seemed like Weiss wanted to lead this little rag-tag team.

"Oh, screw you," SneBier said.

"Can it, SneBier!" Ciel said.

"It's Frost!"

"Listen, we've got two awakened and one enlighten rookie. And we're kids. _Ten_ years old with aura maybe, but the point remains."

"And?" both of them asked.

"Two shots and we're dead. We got lucky here. Everyone's lucky at one point or another but these hostiles got aura. We need to be smart. If they have even _one_ semblance user, we're dead."

"Then we should just hide like cowards?" Frost asked.

"No, we play this smart. The more time we waste here, the more people die."

It seemed to struck a nerve with the both of them and gave them a form of resolve.

"Then, how do we play this?" Weiss asked.

Ciel picked up one of the assault rifle and cocked it. "Simple. We regroup with security, take out anyone in our way. Save anyone that needs saving. Do you know how to use a gun?"

Weiss shrugged. "The basics."

"It's not point and shoot, Weiss. You got to adjust for recoil, know where the safety is, et cetera."

" _I know how,"_ Weiss said annoyed as she picked up a rifle. Weiss uncocked and cocked it for effect. Ciel rolled her eyes, it was already cocked. It was such a pointless action.

"And you, Frost?"

Frost sauntered to the unconscious bodies and picked up one of their spare pistols.

"Rusty taught me how to shoot a pistol but that's about it."

"Good enough. Now we got to move."

"There's one thing," Weiss replied. "We gotta take care of the scum."

"Hm," Ciel said. "A strategic choice. They wake up, we could get flanked."

Frost shrugged. "Sounds rational."

"I thought you'd be more opposed to this, Frost," Weiss said. "Given your company's stance of Faunus rights."

"Eh. People could be assholes, Faunus or humans. And these guys are dicks," Frost said bluntly. "Oh, pardon my language."

Ciel coughed awkwardly. "So, whose doing the deed?"

All three of them took pause. Taking a life was no trivial matter but this was a matter of life and death. It was a necessity and whatever they felt, they pushed it back down to survive.

"All of us," Weiss decided. "Three of us, three of them. Together?"

All of the girls nodded.

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

 _Bang!_

Three lives ended, so that three lives may fight. They had blood on their hands. Weiss looked firmer in her resolve, Frost looked like she finally found something she was looking for, and Ciel? Her role as a soldier solidified.

"Now, let's kick some ass!" Frost shouted. "And I bet I can kick more ass than you, Weiss!"

Something made a thud in the middle of the girls. There was dust from the seemly invisible… _person._ The person became visible. He was wearing the same thing as the other gunmen but he wore a unique mask. Green and green, utterly faceless. Probably one-way, but Ciel recognized him. Locus. Wanted criminals were part of her testing and training. She needed to know her foes. And thin this case, Locus whose semblance was invisibility.

"Oh shit! Move!" Ciel shouted.

Locus kicked Frost into the wall, shattering her aura and knocking her out. His aura was stronger than all of theirs put together.

"Weiss, get out of the way!" Ciel aimed her gun at Locus who kicked it out of her hands. Weiss, however, used her semblance to form a glyph at Locus's rifle. It pushed the gun out of his hands, giving Ciel an opportunity to fire.

He grabbed the barrel of the gun and jerked it upwards. All of the bullets hit the ceiling before he finally ripped the gun of Ciel's hand and spun kicked her to the floor. Her aura shattered and she could only watch helplessly as Locus break Weiss's aura with the butt of her gun.

All of three of them, taken out so quickly. Locus towered over her and knocked her out with one stomp of his boot. As blackness overtook her, she hoped that everyone was safe.

* * *

Everyone wasn't safe.

Ironwood radioed whatever men he had left to evacuate anyone they could find. Unfortunately, from the intel that he had received, the White Fang was holding captives in the courtyard. Evacuation meant sacrificing some to being captured but he needed to save those he can before saving the rest.

The rest of the house was probably swarmed with White Fang members. He needed to make his way down from the top floor. He took out his pistol and began creeping through the house. There was bouts of dead silence that was interrupted by occasional gunfire.

As he crept down the hallway and heard noise in one of the rooms. He kicked down the door and aimed his gun at… Winter Schnee. She pointed a rapier in his direction before lowering it.

"Brigadier-General, sir!"

"You're not in the military, yet. But are you ready to fight?" he asked.

"Yes, sir."

"No deviations. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"On my lead."

Ironwood took point as Winter followed closely behind her. "Your semblance is glyphs correct? I read up on some of your father's notes on it during his time at the academy. Any enemy soldier, you glyph their guns out of their hands."

"Okay, sir."

"Enough of the sirs just at least until you're at the academy."

They began clearing the house floor by floor. On the third floor, they encountered a group of soldiers and some dead bodies. They didn't notice the two and Ironwood held up his hand, signaling for her.

"Oh, damn. Thought boss-man wanted minimal causalities," one of them said.

"Yeah, but it ain't our fault. Lots of people fucked up. I even saw some dead chicks. Tis a shame."

"Alright," Ironwood whispered. "Two hostiles. You could manage?"

"I could do at least twelve pulling glyphs at a time. Stronger glyphs take too much energy. Could only do one or two. Keep that in mind if we encounter heavy resistance."

"Affirmative. Pull their guns on three."

"Three!" he shouted as he pulled out of cover. Two glyphs stole away the White Fang's guns and Ironwood quickly shot the two men down. Ironwood fired four shots in total, two shots to break their aura and two to end the threat.

"Nice work, Schnee."

"Thank you, Brigadier-General. Now, forgive me for rushing, but could we hurry? Weiss was down there. I have to make sure she's safe."

"I'm sure your sister is fine. Now, let's get a move on."

The rest of the floors were empty and Ironwood got the feeling that everyone was either evacuated or captured.

On the second floor, he came across two of his men. Dead… and riddled with bullets.

"Wa… watch my back for a minute," he said quietly.

He knelt down in front of his fallen comrades. He cover his mouth and took a deep breath. They were good men, with families and friends. They didn't deserve this.

With his real hand, he closed the eyes of the dead. He heard a glyph hum, flesh being pierced, and someone letting out a dying groan.

He spun around and saw Winter standing over the deceased White Fang members.

"Sorry for the interruption."

"It's time to finish this," he said with conviction.

As they descended down the stairs, they were surrounded by several White Fang members.

"Hands in the air!"

Ironwood said in a low voice, "Hit me with your strongest glyph."

Winter pointed toward his feet and a small yellow beam hit the floor beneath him. A small spinning clock glyph appeared beneath him. Everything began to slow down while he moved around at normal speed.

Slowly spinning around, he began to gun down all of the White Fang. Time resumed normally after he was finished.

Winter was taking deep breathes. "Oh man. That took a lot out of me."

"Are you okay? It's okay if you-"

Winter exhaled. "No, no, no. I'm fine. Let's go! They're holding the hostages in courtyard, yes?"

"Then let's go."

Ironwood and Winter rushed out into the courtyard. Several of the White Fang were overseeing several of the hostages. They had a good chunk of the guests, a little more than three quarters of the gala goers. It disheartened him that his men couldn't save most of them. The White Fang were clearly setting up some sort of video, a message perhaps? However, that detail didn't matter. They were outmatched and outgunned. There was little doubt in his mind that they could take them but there was the hostages to look out for.

Amidst the crying and the raised guns and threats, a single booming voice rang out. It was Locus holding a hostage and had a gun pointed to her head.

"That's far enough!"

Winter froze, her hands shaking and her face warped into one of _hate_ and anger because in his arms was _Weiss._

* * *

The house had been cleared and all the hostages had been taken. His men were watching over the crying crowd. He looked over the three kids he had taken. Locus had likened himself to a weapon once, but that was in the far past.

Felix would have just killed the three because of their abilities, but Locus wouldn't.

Besides, with more hostages it was more likely they wouldn't take any action against them. His men were well-placed to prevent any escapees.

He had his men had several prominent reporters begin to set-up filming. What better way to humiliate the company than to trash a gala and film the chaos.

There was one reporter trying to help her fellows, but he put a stop to it. He grabbed her by the arm and threatened, "Listen! Lisa, right? You want a story of a lifetime? Then shut it, and _do your job."_

He shoved her with the rest of the reporters. Each of them in front of their own respective cameras. Maximum coverage for humiliation.

However, this was going to be a one-trick pony hijacking the signal for the kingdoms. No doubt in doing this, they were going to up security measures after this. For all the potential would-be conquerors wanting to make a statement to a world would be in for a disappointment.

And that possibly might make some enemies. Some people could hold a grudge for a lifetime.

Now, it was time to kick-start this whole thing. Except… they were missing one vital key. The man of the hour, the CEO, and the head Schnee.

He radioed his men to continue searching but… _silence._ Something was off. Then the Brigadier-General and one of his troops was in front of him. Wait… no… it was Winter Schnee.

So, he did the only thing he could do. He grabbed the only hostage that mattered, _Weiss Schnee._ She struggled briefly before quietly whispering, "You're going to pay!"

He ignored her and shouted to the two, " _That's far enough!"_

Winter stepped forward before Ironwood held her back. There was a brief stand-off before… someone walked in-between them. It was the head Schnee himself.

"I _really_ appreciated it if you let my daughter go," he said in a calm voice. There was a slight hint of anger- no, frustration behind it. But, it was the voice of someone who held all the cards.

Locus ignored him and said to the reporters and camera crew, "Start rolling."

Schnee followed in his footsteps and said to Ironwood, "Sorry for taking so long. It took a while to set them up in position." Something was _off_ when he said that.

Ironwood cocked his head while Winter looked absolutely frustrated with him.

"Last chance, Locus!" Schnee said to him.

"I don't think so!" Locus replied.

Schnee took out a scroll and pressed it.

Locus then looked up to the sky and saw… figures leaping from the rooftop and began to land on his men.

" _What the fuck?!"_ several of his men shouted, himself included.

On closer inspection, they were metal men glowing white. They looked like metal skeletons wearing small pieces of metal armor. Most of them looked… inhuman as they rained down from the sky. They were big and bulky… clanking as they bashed through his men's auras and their faces.

Locus threw down Weiss and began to activate his semblance to escape. However, Weiss held out her hand and a glyph tripped him.

Winter let out a yell and charged at him with blinding speed. He had little time to throw down his gun and take out his sword to match Winter's rapier.

Watching a person fight could tell a lot about them. Even in her rage, there was control and a sense of elegance to her fighting. For even swing he dealt, she was always moving so delicately away but when she struck, _she struck hard._

He raised his sword to strike but another glyph formed on his wrist, preventing him to strike. She smacked him with the handle of her blade shattering his aura. He then felt a kick to the balls from the behind, probably the younger Schnee.

Locus crumpled and Winter in a fit of anger, shoved the blade into his chest.

" _Schnee!"_ Ironwood called out as he fell, his chest bleeding and life ebbing away from him. "I would have wanted him a life for interrogation."

As his vision faded, he saw Winter snap out of that anger.

"Sorry, sir," she muttered before rushing over to Weiss. She didn't seem very sorry to him.

But that wasn't the important part, all the cameras were on Schnee as they broadcasted to the kingdoms. People clamoring for their savior. He was already using some of that charisma to reassure people's worries and fears.

One of the metal men stomped up next to them, and Schnee showcased it for the world to see.

" _This is the first model of Atlesian Knight._ _The world's first robotic_ _guard_ _with limited_ _artificial_ _intelligence._ _Fully functional and responsive_ _to any command._ _And-"_ Schnee started, but his voice started to fade.

As he breathed his last breath, he realized that _it was all a set_ _up._

* * *

 _Schnee walked to the relative isolated Sturm, who was panicking and desperately rushing toward any out. Her face darkened as he approached. She opened her hand to let out a blast of whatever Dust she infused herself with but he flicked his fingers. The glyphs formed around her wrists and broke them. She cried out in pain but no would hear her cries amongst the chaos._

 _Sturm tried rushing away but he had the Gale summon tackle her. Sturm's grey little dress with black lining became dirty and ruined as it tackled her._

 _She tried struggling but the Gale summon was strong, even more than the other summons. It even had more sentience than the rest._

" _You know, I'd say I'm sorry but I really hate the both of you. Especially you, Schnee," Gale said as she got Sturm into a choke-hold._

" _Shut it, Soot. Otherwise, you know the consequences."_

 _His summon shut it's mouth. It would have probably done it anyways. While summons would have answered any of his questions, he made sure to force it out of the Gale summon anyway. The secrets that came from the mirror opened up a whole set of doors that he never knew were there._

" _You're a monster!" Sturm said as she struggled._

" _And you're a hypocrite," he said simply. "Trying to hurt my family? Everything that I have built? The life I made?"_

" _And the lives you crushed."_

 _Schnee shrugged. "Don't play the moral high ground."_

" _And what are you going to do then?" Sturm spat._

" _Some blood will be shed tonight, unfortunate as it is. And nobody would bat an eye at a dead SneBier."_

 _Sturm took a shaky breath. "If you're going to do it, then do it! But… don't hurt Frost… please."_

 _Schnee paused, briefly reconsidering his plan._

" _She's my everything," Sturm pleaded. "Do what you want with me! But I swear-"_

" _Swear nothing. I will spare your daughter but she will be nothing. Her inheritance gone. Her destiny in the company extinguished."_

" _And how will you do such a thing?" Strum said almost mockingly._

 _Schnee's eyes met the summon's cold blue eyes. The Gale summon stuck out her tongue. Sturm caught on pretty quickly._

 _Sturm wanted to protest but succumbed to the promise that her daughter would live on._

" _I… just wished I could have spent more time with her."_

" _Don't we all?" Schnee said in a low voice. Then Gale snapped SneBier's neck as a glyph formed beneath her dead body._

"Are you listening, Schnee?" Ironwood's voice asked.

"I am," he replied. "I have thoroughly impressed you with the knights and the contract is all but signed."

"That's beside the point. I wished you would have shown this to us in private and-"

"How many people would approve of such a thing?" Schnee asked. "It's a new field for all of us. Hence, I wanted to do it publicly."

"And it could have backfired."

Schnee's plan sacrificed a lot, but it was worth it. His enemy was dead and the future secured. Even if Locus threatened his daughters, he had little doubt that they could handle themselves. Besides, they would grow stronger from this, failure or victory.

"But it didn't. And aren't you excited about the possibilities? I'm sure this would speed up progress on more advanced mechanical appendages would it not?"

Ironwood grunted. "That's less important. More lives would be saved and pointless sacrifices wouldn't happen. Although, let's talk more about the artificial intelligence you mentioned."

"Ah, the brainchild of our chief engineer, Mr. Polendina."

"If I may-"

"You can have him. A gesture of goodwill. And I'm sure the military would feel safer if the AI development was in their hands."

Both of them started walking down from the balcony and toward the entrance of the house. As they walked by, a little girl was mourning over the loss of her mother.

* * *

"Frost! Frost!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Five more minutes!" Frost yelled before snuggling back into… she jumped up, remembering what just transpired.

"Rusty, what happened?" she asked.

"A lot. I was blindsided while I was in the courtyard. I helped Winter escape to get help, but that doesn't matter. Are you okay?"

"Just everything's spinning. Although, isn't aura suppose to help with this?" Frost asked.

"You unlocked your aura?" he asked suddenly. "No, no. We will deal with that issue later, did you see your mother anywhere?"

"I thought she was with you!"

"She told me to stick by you and I am _so_ sorry that I wasn't-"

"Whatever, we have to find mom!"

By now, most of the crowd had left the house and the military secured the house. Some of them were already carting out the dead.

They kept asking anyone and everyone if they had seen her mother. No one had seen anything. Frost couldn't give up.

" _Mom!"_ she shouted. In passing, she found Ciel being led by her parents.

"Ciel! Have you seen my mom anywhere?" Frost begged.

Ciel had to pull away from her parents to talk to Frost. "I haven't seen your mom anywhere, but I really have to go. I hope you find your mom!" Ciel called out as her parents took her away from the remnants of destruction.

Then Frost was alone with Rusty.

"Rusty..." her voice cracked. "What if she's hurt… or worse?"

"It won't come to that. Come on, we can find her."

Rust took her hand and they began to look around together. Eventually, they came across a single body covered in a white sheet. Frost's heart began to beat faster and faster.

Rusty put his hand on her shoulder, a small attempt to stop Frost. Frost violently shrugged his hand off and rushed over to the body.

Her hands were trembling as she slowly unveiled the sheet. A dead, cold face greeted her. It wasn't the warm, loving face that had graced whenever she saw her mom.

" _No! No! No! Mom!"_ she shook the dead body in a futile attempt to deny reality. " _You can't! Please!_ "

The realization that her mom was gone forever had struck her hard. "Mom!"

Her tears began to fall on the lifeless body of her mom. Though her times with her mom were brief, the ones that she spent with her mom were the best memories she had.

Frost always preoccupied herself with whatever activities she could excel at. Her mom started her off slow with the activities, but Frost just kept going. It was an attempt to impress her mom, but her mom always assured that she would forever be proud of her. She always _won_ , but it didn't feel real. And if it didn't feel real, then Frost didn't feel like she impressed her mom.

So, she kept looking for a worthy challenge. Now, she just wanted to hug her mom. Beating the best didn't even matter. Frost hugged the body. It wasn't like before. She cherished all the small hugs that Sturm gave her.

They were always so busy, but Frost? She chose to be busy. Now, Frost would never spend any time with her again.

No extravagant breakfasts, no yacht riding, _nothing._ That didn't matter. Her mom wanted to impress her too, but the quiet rides home? Her gently sleeping on her mother's shoulder. Frost just cried her fears into her mom's ruined dress.

Rusty just looked away, giving Frost the moment of peace. It seemed if Rusty understood her plight. She glanced up from the body and saw Weiss Schnee covering her mouth. A cold rage washed over her. Deep down, Frost knew it was an irrational but she didn't care.

She couldn't let the _competition_ see her as _weak._ Something inside her blamed Weiss. They were supposed to be rivals after all. _And it was her home where her mom died._ The gala was suppose to be safe and her mom was gone forever. Fuck _her!_

Frost mouthed the words, ' _I don't need your sympathy!'_

Whatever concern and empathy that was on Weiss's face disappeared. It was replaced with a cold demeanor. Weiss took off her eyepatch and they met eyes. Frost ignored the scars and focused on both of her eyes, dead and alive. It was a mutual understanding about their roles- their _destiny_. It was inescapable and binding. Frost and Weiss were never meant to be friends, only enemies.

Weiss put the eyepatch back on and walked away.

The rest of the day was a blur, as Frost tried to cling onto her mom's lifeless body as long as she could. But there came a time when she had to be alone.

Frost hid herself away from the world in her room. She just needed some time before she could face the world again. This wouldn't beat her but right now Frost wanted to be alone.

She just laid there on the floor and cried. She didn't know how long she cried, but she knew when it ended.

There was a knock on her door.

"Go away, Rusty!"

Everything was going down the shitter. There was only one person who could be at the door. All the servants were gone save for one. All the money was slowly siphoning away. Who would care for a _poor_ brat now?

Still, she held onto the notion that this was a minor hiccup in destiny. Everything began spiraling down further and further because of _them._ The Schnees. Ruining people's lives- _her_ life.

No matter how irrational that thought was, it was her only thought. That and the last time she hugged her mom, telling that she would make her proud.

"Frost, will you please let me in?" Rusty asked quietly.

Frost let out a silent sob before recomposing herself. She opened the door with a blank look on her face.

" _What?"_

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Frost shrugged and sat on her bed. Rusty hung around the door frame.

"I know this is hard for you but-"

"Do you? I mean, mom's gone _forever,"_ Frost choked out. "And, everything that is left of her is slowly going away. How? Nobody knows. I inherit nothing while _they_ get everything. At least _Weiss_ has a parent."

"Oh, Frost… there's something I have to tell you."

"What? Is this the twist where you're my dad or something?" Frost spat.

Rusty let out a sad chuckle. "Your mom was a hell of a woman but things between us were strictly professional. Besides, I don't swing that way."

"Then what?"

"Did your mom ever tell you her rags-to-riches story?" Rusty asked.

"Yeah. Typical stuff," Frost said.

"Everything she did was for you. Your father..." he started. Frost leaned in with anticipation and curiosity.

"Your father was a huntsman. It's why you awakened so easily. You got the genes for it. But it was just a brief affair. Then he ran off. Sturm was a poor woman, but… she didn't want you to live like that. So she worked like hell to give you a good life."

"And now, it's gone."

"No. As per your mom's wishes, I'm to become your legal guardian."

"And I'm just suppose to call you dad?" Frost said angrily before muttering a brief apology.

" _No._ Some kids might, and others don't. But I will keep to your mother's wishes."

"Thank you," Frost muttered quietly.

"It may not be extravagant as the life here, but it will be a good life. But-"

"But what?" Frost asked.

"With aura, you will have to attend combat academies and then if you don't unlock your semblance, you'll have to spend your mandatory service in the military… provided you attend Atlas's combat academies."

"And if I unlock my semblance?" Frost asked.

"Secondary academies. You could become a reserve huntress-"

"No. I won't. I'll… I'll join the military or be a huntress, whatever. I need to be strong. Then… I'll beat Weiss. I'll be _better_ than her. Take away _everything_ from her."

* * *

Why did it feel like everything was being taken away from her?

Mother… it still brought old pains that should be long forgotten, but Weiss couldn't bring herself to forget about her. Every time she looked in the mirror, Weiss would never forget.

Winter was off to Atlas Academy. Apparently, she managed to impress the headmaster. Duty above all else. Weiss was proud of her sister regardless. Winter was already so skilled, with her swordsmanship and semblance. Weiss could only hope to reach Winter's level of skill.

Then there was father to consider. He was already swamped with work but since the unveiling of the knights, he was even more busier than usual. Which was even more surprising since apparently not everyone heard of it. News apparently spread slowly than anticipated but enough people had heard.

Now, Weiss was stuck with some secretary that arrived from Vale. She didn't feel anything for the woman. It was strictly business.

But perhaps, one of the more damning things was the loss of a possible friendship. Or friendships. Weiss never interacted with many kids.

Ciel's absence was understandable. From what Weiss gathered, Ciel's parents were strict and a friendship would never be possible. Perhaps, they could meet again at the academies if destiny allowed for it. Weiss knew the endpoint before her but not the entire path. Even then, they didn't have that much of a basis for friendship.

The one that hurt the most was Frost SneBier, despite their little spat. What they had was one of the few interactions with kids her age.

As much as it pained Weiss to admit, it devastated Weiss when she saw Frost crying over the loss of her mother. It resonated with Weiss's own loss. She was going comfort her, until… Frost practically told her to… _fuck off._

It was a betrayal of a different sort. Weiss wanted to comfort her, as kindred spirits of the same coin. But instead, Frost just threw that back into her face. It was insulting and degrading! Weiss understood her, then Frost…

She was alone.

Weiss thought they could be _something_ together. Two souls who understood each other, but life didn't want that for them. Until, Weiss had an epiphany. Mother's lessons rang true. Frost was merely being _fake._ They were heiresses of rival companies, it was something that could never be. Although, Frost was no longer an heiress. The company was slowly going under.

But, Weiss could never forget the look Frost gave her. A face of hate and loathing. And yet, Weiss understood that too.

So, Weiss did the only she could do. She matched the look Frost gave, so that they understood each other. Their paths they were laid before them. Weiss hadn't shown her scars nor her eye to anyone else, but to family and _her._

At least they understood each other. _At least_ _the cruelty was real._

Weiss started to wander around the empty household. It seemed like yesterday when the attack happened. One of the happier moments was when the three of them decided to band together.

Of course, the beating they received was a harsh reminder.

So, they shall continue to train- to become the warriors that they were meant to be.

But first things first.

Weiss went to her mother's grave. She never visited it often as it brought painful memories. Even Winter visited it more than here. She knew Winter made a visit before she left for the academy.

Weiss placed a hand on her grave.

"Hey, mom… been awhile, hasn't it?"

Nothing but silence. That didn't matter though.

"It's just… it's _hard._ I feel so alone. And… I wish you were here. You'd be proud of us. Winter's off to become a huntress. Oh, how she has come far. I wish I was half as good as her. I have a lot to learn. Father's even more busier than usual and I _am_ alone. There is no denying that. I wish I could but I can't."

Weiss paused and gave a sad smile. "I have no reason to complain, do I?"

The grave said nothing, solidifying the emptiness.

"I mean… Frost is losing everyone and everything, and who am I to fuss? But _I can't!_ I don't want to be alone! I have everything, so why do I feel so empty? Because I am alone. But I have to endure… don't I?"

Weiss gulped. "This is probably the only time I could talk about this. I can't afford to do this anywhere else."

Weiss sat down in front of the grave. "Still, it's inescapable. Can't complain about that. I've come far. Father is continuing with the training and lessons. He's not there, of course. But he helped Winter with her semblance so that she may help me. And now, she's gone. I cherished our little lessons together. I even did time dilation! But… I did pass out afterwords."

She paused and looked up to the dark sky. The shattered moon was rising. It was so bright and so fractured.

"I know what you would say if you were here, but as of late… I don't even know what he would say. Would he be proud of my progress? Does he care?"

Another pause.

"I know he does. He has to. But I wished he showed it. Heh. I beginning to sound like a spoiled brat."

" _Ms. Schnee!"_ an emotionless voice called out. " _Your lessons start in five!"_

"Okay!" she hollered back. She heard the person walk away. Weiss focused back onto the tombstone. "That was the secretary father assigned me. If he isn't here, she's the next best thing, right? Heh. That isn't even close. She's nothing more than an emotionless vessel to bark out father's orders. Hopefully, this is temporary."

Weiss got up and dusted the dirt off.

"I miss you mom. _And I'll make you proud."_

* * *

Schnee looked out the window as the snow began to fall. Everything was going his way. SneBier Incorporated was finally in its death throes.

It was no longer a viable threat to everything he had built. He left the _former_ heiress alone, part of the agreement anyhow. He had made enough deals to know that he should honor them. He checked his scroll.

By now, everyone had heard the heroics of his knights. The SDC was already on top but now it filled every headline.

That wasn't important, what was important was went behind the headlines. The White Fang were expanding. It was probably his fault. An oversight that he failed to considered. Despite the utter failure the ' _White Fang'_ suffered at the gala, it still inspired them to ' _fight back'._

The slaughter in Vale didn't matter but the sneak attacks on the mines. Nobody would cover that, and the fighting was left to the background.

It forced his hand to make ' _shady'_ deals with the underground. After all, who would fight back if their homes were forced to pay rent?

Schnee put the scroll down on his desk. There was two of the knights standing on each side of the desk. It was more for show than for protection.

They reminded him of Ironwood and his military. Ironwood got a little promotion and now was a general. It was good to have friends in high places. Though, Ironwood wasn't in Atlas right now. Apparently, an ' _old'_ friend called him away to Vale. Which was a shame, as Schnee wanted to talk to Ironwood and Polendina.

Schnee looked at the paperwork on his desk and at the door. Then his scroll chimed. Reading the message, he got frustrated. Quickly exchanging messages between the secretary and him, he nearly threw the scroll at the wall.

His little off-shoot division was attacked and he was being blackmailed in order to get the information back. Besides some of the most important inventions was housed there. There was important prototype blueprints for the knights, mechs, and Dust.

After an agonizing couple minutes, she messaged him back to confirm that she had the information. He replied that she should get a hunter, a mercenary, or anyone to _kill_ the person who tried stealing from him.

He locked the door to his office and blackened out the windows. The lights in the room began to dim. Plopping down into the chair, he exhaled and considered his next action.

Should he wait for confirmation that the interloper was dead? Or perhaps, he should find out who would dare attacking that secret complex.

Nobody had known about it. It was almost obvious that whoever robbed him had a buyer of some sorts but something went south. Who else would have the desperation to try and blackmail him?

He opened up his palm and a glyph began spinning before it expanded out of his hand.

The Gale summoned appeared in the middle of the room. It gave a mocking bow to him. While it could never truly disobey him, its surviving personality was infuriating.

"So, what's the situation? Want more info on the hidden goodies in Remnant? If I recall, after our last torture session, I was telling you about golems and the like."

" _No._ This is a more personal matter. A facility of mine has been broken into. While there is nothing left of it and the secrets are safely secure, someone knew about it."

"And you came to me?" The Gale summon laughed. "I am many things but all-knowing I am not. Although, I appreciate the compliment."

"I want you to reach down to the mirror's knowledge and find me a spell or something."

The Gale summon shrugged before twitching violently. The summon briefly turned into a miniature tornado of shards.

The Gale summon reformed and had a condescending smile. Well, it always had a condescending smile but this one was more smug.

"Hate to disappoint… wait… I _love_ to disappoint but there isn't a tracking spell or whatever. Besides, some of the actual spells here are fucking costly for the most minor of things. Like you need the blood of a phoenix warrior to do… huh. That's where my knowledge ends. Neato."

"Fuck," he swore under his breath. "Who could have done it?"

His scroll chimed and his secretary was coming back to Vale, but the thief managed to slay a huntress and get away scot-free.

"Oh, oh! It could have been _the Knights of Grimm._ Ooooo, so spooooky," it mocked.

"Silence!"

And the summon was silenced. Although, the Knights of Grimm could actually be a thing now. Fairy tales were no longer fairy tales. His summon was the embodiment of one. Could something _unnatural_ be responsible for this?

"Do you think something supernatural could have a part in this?" he asked.

The Gale summon again shrugged. "Maybe. There's many groups with knowledge of this. But, most of them are stringently old school. And those are more of the peace-keeping type. Keepers of secrets and bullshit. They might not even be around. You're asking a lady with incompetence knowledge that isn't her own's."

The Gale summon paused before chuckling. "You're probably over-thinking this. Although, it's fun seeing you get mad. Makes this living hell _almost_ worth it."

Schnee waved his hand to dismiss the summon. It flipped him off as it vanished. He still held some malice toward the murderer piece of shit, but he already worked out his anger on it.

The summon was probably right. Maybe he _was_ over-thinking this. It wasn't like there was any conspiracy that he was getting involved in.

It was probably SneBier screwing him over in death. To that end, another glyph formed in his hand and Sturm SneBier was a ghastly apparition in the room.

"My daughter," was the first thing she said. It was touching, but Schnee remembered who it was. He gave a small nod before accusing her of the crime.

"No knowledge," she wailed.

"It wasn't you?"

The summon nodded. Then who could have done it? He began to ponder that question.

Unbeknownst to Schnee, two souls of the same coin began plotting around the failure to bring about something _Grimm._

* * *

 ** _Next Chapter: Blackout_**


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